


Evigheden

by TeamOUATArendelle



Category: Frozen (2013), Once Upon a Time (TV), Sneedronningen | The Snow Queen - Hans Christian Andersen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Snow Queen Fusion, Canon Crossover, F/M, Hansla, Iceburns, Mirror-theory, OUAT - Freeform, Snow Queen Elements, explaining Elsa's powers, redeemed!Hans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-25 12:10:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 108,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6194644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamOUATArendelle/pseuds/TeamOUATArendelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was one word he never could manage to form: "Eternity." The mysterious figure who brought him here had said to him, "When you can find out this, you shall be your own master, and I will give you the whole world." But he could not accomplish it.</p><p> If you think you know the Snow Queen's story, it is time to reform the puzzle for you too. AU of season 4A.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You have my all.  
>  You are my downfall.  
>  Crush me, and keep me for eternity.  
>  Break me in your hands love,  
>  where I will always be."
> 
> Song: "Eternity", by Rachel Taylor

The Northern seas, 1840.

in the middle of a seastorm, the ship carrying Queen Idunn and King Agdarr of Arendelle on board, tried to withstand the violent seas. the storm had come unexpected, and even the most experienced sailsmen didn't prophecize such wild storms this time of the year. The Queen ran to their private suite on the ship, desperately searching for pen and paper and began to write. 

'what are you doing?' It was her beloved husband Agdarr.

'I have to finish this!' the queen said determined, still focused on completing the letter.

'my dear, no, the ship, It's going down! we have to abandon the ship!' said her husband, holding on to the rope on the ceiling. 

'They have to know!' The queen turned to face her husband. 'we might not take it home, but this could!' this was no normal storm, not by chance. fear gripped her heart when she taught of her 2 beautiful daughters. The king helped her on deck, where the crew was still trying to keep the ship steady on course. the queen looked up to the mast, which had begun to crack already. this wasn't a normal storm indeed. 

'Are you sure, we are doing the right thing?' asked Agdarr, looking to his wife. 

'YES!' she cried out to him, to get over the sound of the violent seawaves. 'Anna and Elsa must know the truth! it's the only thing that will save them!' they wouldn't make it home again, they both knew this now. The king threw the bottle into the sea below, and embraced his wife one more time. Idunn shuddered as she saw the wave coming towards her. Anna, Elsa. I'm so sorry. she looked to her husband on which the same fear was written. 

'I love you'  
'i love you too' The wave crashed into the ship. The King and Queen of arendelle were no more. 

-

Arendelle, 1845.

Both sisters stood in front of their parents gravestones. 5 years already... The young queen looked to her sister. she had grown into a fine young woman. 'they would be so proud of you, Anna' If only their parents could see her now. 

'Both of us, Elsa' The two sisters smiled to each other.

'now come on, i have a suprise for you' The Queen took her sister's arm and they began to return to their carriage.

'really?' laughed anna softly. 'suprises are often a mess in this family' 

'this one you like, i promise' Anna looked puzzled to her sister. 'its for your wedding' 

-

Storybrooke, present day.

Elsa looked puzzled arround her. this wasn't her country, nor any other kingdom she recognised. and why couldn't she remember anything? She began to walk, hoping to find a town and ask the villagers where she was. as she looked arround, she heard a strange sound coming closing to her. it had bright lights and it was difficult to see what it was. some kind of carriage, but... there weren't any horses to pull it. TUUT-TUUT! the sound was so sudden that the queen reacted out of instinct. she turned her head away and stretched her arms out, unwillingly freezing the vehicle. Startled, Elsa looked to the carriage she froze. she had no idea where she was, but she wouldn't let that stop her from getting answers. She began to walk past the carriage without horses. perhaps it would be safer to go off the road as she would be a easy target for robbers and bandits. The queen began to walk deeper into the forest, or rather, tried walking as her cape often became tangled with the bushes. she sighed and with a flick of her hand, the cape dissappeared. this gown was made for walking in proper palaces, not marching arround in an unknown forest. She heard a crack nearby and she stood still. was it a bear? a wolf perhaps? she swallowed and taught what she knew of these animals. were stood the wind? as on cue, the wind picked up and the queen frowned. this wasn't right. the sound came from her left. while the wind came from that same direction. which means that the animals could not smell her. then what... she raised her hands in defense as she heard the sounds come closer. judging from the pacing on the ground, along with the heavy breathing, it had to belong to a human.

'Come out, whoever you are!' a silhouet appeared out of the bushes. 

'Queen Elsa?!' 

'who are you, and how do you know my name?!' 

'You aren't that easily to forget.' answered the man, and with blinding speed, he pushed the queen against a tree. 'after all...' The queen's eyes widened as she felt a dagger pressed at her throat. 'you were the one who put me in prison.' The angry green eyes of Hans Westerguard bored into hers. 'and now you are going to tell me were you brought me, witch.'


	2. A Tale of Two Sisters

The queen looked shocked to the young prince. 'You are supposed to be in prison! Your brother's -'

'I managed to escape' cut the man her sentence off. 'Now, you are going to tell me where I am.'

'I don't know! I just arrived here!' whispered Elsa, afraid to move her neck too much and give the man the excuse to slice her throat open. The prince's eyebrow went up, clearly not believing her.

'Somehow I can't remember what i did the last two weeks, nor how I came here. and suddenly you turn up. what am i to make of that uhm?'

The queen frowned. 'wait, you can't remember what you did the last two weeks? neither can I!'

The prince narrowed his eyes. 'either you are lying or-'

'I'm not. and do you think i want to be here intentionally with you?' Elsa felt the pressure on her neck dissappear.

'no. neither do I.' frowned the prince, while putting the dagger back.

'you're not going to kill me?' she asked while rubbing her neck.

'when we are back in Arendelle, I will do it with pleasure.' said the prince. 'but for now we are appearently in unknown territory. we don't know what this land is called, who rules it, nor how the inhabitants are. best is to stick together with what or who we know'

'you expect me to trust you?' said the queen unbelievingly.

'No. if you did, you'd be a bigger fool then i held your sister for.'

the mention of Anna made Elsa aware her sister wasn't here. 'Anna! o god...'

the queen turned to the prince. 'where is she?'

'what, she isn't with you?' the queen said nothing, confirming what the prince just asked.

'well... then we have to look for her, don't we?'

'since when do you care for Anna?'

'I don't' said hans stoic. 'I'm just concerned about my own safety. if we find her corpse, we-.'

Elsa fumed at the man's words and raised her hand to slap him. 'ah-ah' the prince catched her wrist. 'not very queen-like is it?'

'get your hands of me.' growled Elsa, while janking her arm back. 'we have to go searching for my sister. there has to be a town nearby. we can ask if they have seen her.'

The queen stormed off, casually followed by the Southern prince. It was in the early morning they found the town called 'Storybrooke'. Neither royals had heard of such a townname in any of the regions they knew.

'Can't you just keep your ice in, witch?' growled Hans as he noticing the ice trail that followed the queen. 'We are going to get attention with your sorcery.'

Elsa looked angrily to the auburn haired man. 'Its not easy, you try to keep calm, when you are in a realm with no memory and with a traitorous murderer-'

'ok, ok' the prince shushed her down as he noticed the ice trail getting larger as Elsa became angrier with the minute. the two royals walked further on, until the prince noticed Elsa going to a window with a white dress in it. 'Hey, what...'

\----

'an ice ring!' gasped anna, 'oh, or a carriage, o no, wait...' Elsa opened the door. 'its an attic' said the girl puzzled.

'it is indeed.' said the queen as she walked towards the closet and opened it.

'is that...'

'Mother's' smiled Elsa. Anna's hand went for the dress, but hesitated.

'i don't want to rip it' she said.

'You have to put it on carefully.'

'you want me to wear it?' Elsa smiled. 'of course you want me to, why else would i be here'

the queen thought when she looked at the dress. 'its missing something.'

she held her hand up and a necklace dangled between the two siblings. 'something new. with something borrowed.'

'its amazing... thank you so much!' the sisters hugged. 'now, are you going to try it on?' Anna giggled in excitement and went behind a screen, to try it out.

'I'm sure i'm gonna spill something on it' babbled the princess.

'About the wedding... Tell me i don't have to walk down the aisle with Sven'

'don't worry, he's not the first men' laughed Anna.

'I'm also concerned about the groom.'

'he's gonna be properly attired. it's not like he grew up in a barn.' Anna paused. 'alright, yes he grew up in one, but you will see, it will be wonderful'

The queen smiled and looked around between the old books. One got the queen's interest however, when she recognized her mother's handwriting on the front. she began to read, not noticing her sister coming out with her wedding dress. the younger sister immediately saw something was wrong as she saw little snowflakes appear above her sibling.

'Elsa? what's wrong?'

'my mother... their death.. its all my fault!' with tears in her eyes, the queen fled out of the attic.

After a long uncomfortable run in her wedding dress, Anna found Elsa finally in the forest near the castle. 'Elsa, are you alright?'

the queen waved her hand towards her sister. 'please i want to be left alone.'

'you are never gonna be alone. other when i'm not arround. but that doesn't matter, cus i'm here now, and you know... that's a nice thing' babbled the princess. 'what was in the dairy?' asked the princess as she knelt beside her sibling.

'Read'

Anna took the dairy and began to citate: 'I wish I didn't had to hide the truth from my children. But the truth would be too painful. Especially for Elsa. How can you explain to your child that she was cursed out of our stupidity and naiveness. Because of us, our youngest daughter almost got killed. The pain both of my girls are going through, has to stop.' It was silent for a long time.

'I'm so sorry' cried Elsa.

'You don't have to be, its not your fault.'

'Anna, because of me they left. they can't walk you down the aisle tomorrow. and apparently...' The queen looked to her hands. 'my parents caused this... magic to be mine'

She had accepted her powers, true... But that didn't stop her from wanting to be a normal woman. Even now after the big freeze, dignitaries and nobilities still looked at her with fear.

'Apparently they went undercover to Misthaven, and not to the Northern Isles' Elsa said. 'They left because they were scared of me'

'No!' the princess looked to her sibling. 'I refuse to believe it, and I will prove it.'

'How?' asked the queen.

'my future-in-laws!' grinned Anna.

\-----------

'Swan, are you avoiding me?' Emma sighed as they began to talk somewhat further away from Snow.

'I'm not, it's just... dealing with stuff' she tried to explain.

'There is Always a crisis' spoke Hook. 'perhaps you should consider living through it, otherwise you might miss it!'

'we're under attack!' yelled Grumpy from across the street. Hook closed his eyes. bloody hell... what was it now?

'what is it Leroy?'

'something blasted us with Ice! who has that kind of magic?' Emma frowned. 'perhaps the person who made that?' and she pointed to the ice trail. Both she and hook began to sprint, following the trail to an old garage. Hans heard multiple voices coming this way and pulled the queen with him in a hiding spot. Both breathed heavily, cramped together chest to chest. The prince looked worried to the queen, who was on the point of breakdown. Snow began to swirl arround her as she began to hypervilate.

'Calm down!' sissed Hans, and he grabbed the queen's arms. It didn't work though. the snow became thicker and soon Hans saw a 2 meter tall snowman take form before them.

'well, so much for being unnoticed' said the prince annoyed as people began to scream outside.

\-----------

'You should be preparing for your wedding' spoke the queen to Anna. 'Its tomorrow a special day, you should rest.'

'I dont need rest, I have horribly miscalculated.' spoke her younger sibling while she ran with her wedding dress towards the trolls. 'Gran Pabbie?! where are you?' She called over the valley of the living rocks. a stone turned over and revealed the ancient troll.

'It's bad luck for a wedding to see the bride in her wedding dress'

'I've never been traditional' answered the princess as she gave the diary to the troll. 'What were they doing on their last voyage?' The troll read into the book.

'i don't know.' It was silent for a minute, after which the queen grabbed the book out of the troll's hands, hoping her sister's curiosity would be satisfied enough. 'Thank you, Come on.' She beckoned the sister to go back to the castle.

'wait!' The troll stopped the two sisters. 'I can't say where they went, but your parents came here just before their journey. They wanted to know about a fable,' 'Which was?'

'It was about two ancient mirror's which got splintered a long time ago...' spoke the creature. 'It is said that they are the truth and false mirror, who broke for some kind of reason, and which flew into people's eyes.' The troll looked up again to the siblings. 'Like i said, it's only just a children's story. but that's all your parents came for at that time...' the troll yawned. 'I need my beauty sleep' he commented, and rolled back into a stone.

'that's it!' said Anna as she faced her sister. 'We have answers!'

'No, we have more questions'

'We have more answers and more questions, that's a start!' said the princess enthusiastically. 'We have to go to misthaven!'

This was what Elsa feared all this time: her sweet little sister blundering into another adventure, without looking at the dangers ahead. 'No, we can't i can't just leave, i'm still queen.' she answered trying to stop her sister from going.

'Let me go alone then.'

'Have you forgotten the Duke of Weaselton and Hans Westerguard? Those two would be jumping at you the first moment you step out of our borders!' Hans Westerguard had been looked up off course, but she hoped with the mention of the prince, that Anna would back off.

'Good excuses but still. let me go. Misthaven is a short journey... Two weeks and i will be right back.'

Elsa closed her eyes for a moment. 'That's just what mother and father said' She said softly to her sister and she strode back to the palace.

\-------------  
The next morning:

'Kristoff?' Elsa yelled as she walked into the stables. She noticed the reindeer glancing at her with intelligent eyes. 'don't be coy, answer me!' The reindeer huffed.

'Easy, Sven, she can't help being bossy' said Kristoff while giving a few carrots to him. He almost gave in to his old habbit for taking one bite of the carrot himself after offering one to Sven, but he knew he couldn't do that in front of the queen. She was soon his sister in law, and he wanted to keep good appearances with her.

'Where is Anna?'

'isn't she in the palace?' answered the mountain man.

'If she were, would i be here?' spoke Elsa while she crossed her arms. Kristoff looked away from the ice queen.

'uhm...' He swallowed. 'We needed more...' damn, think fast. 'Frosting! Yeah, you know... brides are perfectionists' He laughed nervously.

'Frosting, there is no frosting!'

'Exactly, she's taking care of that!'

'No, i mean that's a lie!' Elsa narrowed her eyes to Anna's fiance. 'TALK, reindeer man, what's going on here?!'

'wedding details, i'm just making sure -'

'-That she wasn't followed' realized Elsa as she taught of Anna being so insistent of going to Misthaven. 'You are trying to delay me' The queen stormed angrily off, to look for the boats in the parlour. She did know how dangerous it would be out there, and STILL she disobeyed her orders!

'Elsa wait, you can't go after her!'

'Are you saying no to your QUEEN?' She demanded the ice man.

'i'm saying no to my future sister in law' spoke the blonde man softly. 'She can take care of herself. we both know her and both love her... she will be fine' He tried to assure the queen.

'Why didn't you go with her?' the queen asked.

'She didn't want you to be alone' Both Ardellians looked to the dissappearing ship with Anna on board.

\----------

'Whoa, whoa, what are you going to do?!' The prince was about to trap the door open.

'What do you think i'm doing?'

'Let me do it. we're not going to demolish their houses and have a mob behind us'

The grumpy prince walked aside the door and let the queen freeze the lock. The queen entered the shop, followed by the prince who closed the door behind them. After finding the paper with a picture of Anna's necklace on it, the queen insisted on going here, no matter how hard Hans tried to persuade her to go back outside town. The inhabitants were now worrying about the snowman... but soon they would want to know who made it. He didn't want to die because of her recklessness. He didn't kill her in the Woods because he taught she would be a useful ally for the time-being in this strange land. But now she was playing with both of their lives. The prince put his hand on his sword. Maybe he should kill her now. Better than to be burned at the stake, or tortured with those devices. He shuddered when the memories of his imprisonment came back. It was as if his back tintled again from the daily lashes. His eyes adjusted to the dark room, noticing the queen standing over a little box. Now would be the best moment. Nobody was here. Nobody knew him... The best throw would be into the artery of her neck. It would be over in about a minute or two when you sliced that open. The prince grabbed his dagger while keeping his eyes on his target. Years of training kicked in automatically as he calculated the weight in his hand and the force his threw needed. However, his dagger stayed in his sheath as his mind's eye returned to a scene 2 years ago. 'Your sister is dead... because of you... I tried to save her but is was too late!' Hans kept his hand on the dagger, grabbing it so hard that his knuckles became white. kill her! it's what you want don't you? Now is your chance! The prince stared to the queen's back, remembering the sword he held above her. You want revenge? Slice her throat, get the crown, said a more darker twisted side of him. you'll get what you always wanted! It felt like an eternity before the prince released his hold on his weapon, slumping his hand back beside him. He let out his breath, not realizing until that moment he had been holding it all that time. When he focused his attention on the queen again, he felt as if a piece of the burden fell off him.

\-----

A female figurine, unnoticed by either royals, looked upon them from a cracked mirror. She gritted her teeth when the auburn haired prince removed his hand from his dagger. That boy had the chance to kill Queen Elsa twice upon a day, and still hadn't full filled his quest. A quick reminder wouldn't do him harm. The female placed her hand upon the mirror, and at the moment her flesh touched the glass, ice began to spread all over it.

\---------

'Are you okay?' The prince locked eyes with the queen.

'yeah, i'm...fine' he said, while keeping his voice as even as possible. For a moment, his heart felt as if it had been clenched together, stopping his ability to breath.

'you look... quite pale.' the queen commented, reaching for the man's forehead. 'are you sick or-'

'i said i was fine witch!' growled Hans to her while slapping her hand away. 'keep your hands off me!'

The queen's eyes became hard again. she was forgetting to who she was speaking. she had hoped, in the last 24 hours they had stranded here, that the prince would open up to her more. Again, it was naive of her. she shook her head and walked outdoors, not caring if the prince followed her or not. she had found Anna's necklace, legimate proof that this people had seen her. or maybe captured her. The queen clenched her fists.

'no-one leaves this town.' as she focused her magic to the edges of the town, an ice wall began to rise. Elsa smiled satisfied of her work.

'we have to be quick if we want to find your sister.' said Hans. 'and when you've found her, we can all go home to our normal lives' The queen wanted to answer that the prince would be locked away in prison when they returned to their homelands, but it wouldn't be the best thing to say right now. The prince's face was down right murderous. One wrong word and she was certain he would drive his sword through her. 'Yes. let's go.' answered the queen.


	3. White-out part 1

The enchanted forest, a long time ago.

Anna could have kissed the ground when she arrived to Misthaven. Land! Dry land, finally! The seas were calm, but even that short journey caused her legs to shake as she went on land. After a few hours of resting, her legs had accommodated to the land once again. The princess decided to walk, instead of buying a horse. Although she had enough money, she didn't want to spent too quickly; and David's house shouldn't be too far if she followed the villager's instructions. As she began to near the house, she felt the last remains of sea sickness disappear. Well, this is it. Anna knocked on the door, and a young man stood before her.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for someone. Are you David?"

"Yes, I am" answered the man surprised.

"I got your name from an old friend of yours… from Arendelle" said Anna, not sure if the man would know of who she spoke.

"Arendelle? So you know Kristoff!"

"What makes you think its Kristoff?"

"Well, he's the only one who I know from Arendelle so… What can I do for you?" Here it was. The big question.

"Well… its more of a secret mission" She tried to be as vague as possible.

"Alright…" David didn't know what to say to that. "What's your name?"

"June" lied Anna.

"You're not June" David narrowed his eyes in amusement. Anna broke the façade.

"Smart" She began to see why Kristoff liked him; straight forward, sometimes a bit rude…"Is it okay if I sleep in your barn tonight? After that, I will travel further"

"Yeah, sure, no problem, anything for Kristoff's fiancé" Anna's smile disappeared and the princess looked shocked to the man in front of her. Her cover was blown!

"How…" £"your ring" pointed David out. Anna let out a relieved sigh. "Guess I have to find out your name at your wedding" smiled David, happy for the young couple. "The barn is on the backside, you can put your-" David's voice faltered as he heard horses coming nearby.

"You should hurry and get inside"

"Who's that?" Anna looked to the carriage. It was difficult to see from here who it was.

"That's someone you don't want to mess with."

\----------

Storybrooke, Present day.

"what the hell…" Both David and Emma looked astonished to the ice wall.

"Let's find out who did this… it has to do something with the snowman who turned up this afternoon." Spoke Emma as she and Charming went out of the car.

"In case you were wondering…" Hook came out of the bushes with a small glowing lantern. "It goes the whole way around."

"Hook.. I don't know you were joining us?" spoke Charming irritated at the sight of the pirate.

"I got a distress call, so I came on the spot"

"It wasn't a distress call" said Emma. "whoever made this wall, just made it. It wasn't for cutting off the electricity" thought Emma out loud.

"Probably wants to keep us inside and kill us one by one" smiled Hook to Emma. The radio cracked, and Charming took up a new call from the police car, leaving the couple alone for the first time in days.

"I should have brought the champagne" joked Hook. "Since its our second date."

"Did I miss the first?" asked Emma.

"well, with the snow monster on the one hand, and the ice wall on the other… I think we'll never even get one" Emma vaguely listened to Hook as her attention was elsewhere; more precisely to the wall.

"wait a moment, I saw something. I'm going to check it out" The blonde woman made her way along the ice spikes and slippery grounds, while leaving a babbling Hook and Charming behind.

"Hey!" The blonde female turned her face to the savior.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Elsa." Suddenly Emma felt a sharp point in her back.

"And I'm Hans" spoke a male voice in her ear, while strong hands held her against his chest. Elsa looked to the prince. He was about to drive the dagger through her body when Elsa stopped him. "Hans, don't kill her!"

The prince looked unbelievingly to the queen. "She could be a spy or an assassin"

"She could be… but then why should she shout at us?" The point of the dagger pricked less harder in Emma's flesh, but the prince's grip was still strong enough to tell her he wasn't convinced yet.

"I'm here to help" spoke Emma as calm as possible. "do you have anything to do with this wall?" Elsa ignored her question.

"I'm looking for my sister. This was her's" The queen held up a necklace. "I found it in the store filled with things. Where is she?"

"I don't know that."

"then you're useless for us" spoke Hans without emotion.

"Emma?" Yelled Charming worried about his daughter. "everything alright?"

\--------

Anna looked to the woman in the pink dress. Well, she certainly doesn't have any style.

"Do you want tea, Bo-Peep? Maybe a cookie, Bo-Peep?" The woman looked repulsed to the two farmers.

"We don't have any." Spoke Charming. For a moment Bo-Peep's attention shifted to the red-haired princess.

"who's she?"

"I'm June" answered Anna.. She instantly didn't like her. How could she be so arrogant, snobby and irritating, and arrogant… oh wait, she already thought that. Bo-Peep turned her attention now to David's mother.

"You know me Ruth. I want my payment. You and your flock are safe as long as you pay what is due."

"It's… It's been a rough month" answered Charming. He knew she wouldn't be pleased by that.

"You will figure it out by tomorrow." and she looked to the fine horse.

"No, not my steed."

"Fine, you can keep it. Then I'll take your farm instead." Smiled the woman enjoying the terror on their faces. "and you can work your debt off by working as my slaves." Anna was shocked when a blast came from Bo-Peep's staff, resulting both farmers falling on the ground. "You can't go anywhere now. I'll find you with this staff like I find my flock, and now you are one of my sheep."

After Bo-Peep's departure, Anna went to speak with David. "You can't give up the farm to that bully!"

"She's the most powerful warlock in the part of the region. She has an army, June. If I'm in a tavern, sure, I can hold up a fight. But against an army?"

"You have to fight. Its exactly the kind of battle that you need to win!" spoke Anna with passion.

"Yeah, sure, like my fists can defeat those guys."

"Maybe try a sword?!"

"Like we farmers get to learn that."

"I can teach you! I learned myself from my soldiers!" Charming looked puzzled to the girl.

"I mean, not my soldiers, a soldier in my family." Corrected Anna quickly. "Anyway, I can teach you. What do you have to loose?"

\------

"Hey, who are you two!" Charming ran up the snow hill followed by Hook. Only now noticed the two men that Emma had been held hostage by an unknown auburn-haired man.

"Let her go!" yelled Hook angrily. The prince's eyes widened when he recognized the pirate before him. Suddenly Emma felt the prince' grip on her disappear and she was shoved aside, nearly falling on the slippery ground.

"You!"

"Do I know y-whoa, whoa, easy-" The prince ran towards the pirate and slammed him against the ice wall.

"You killed my brother!"

"Leave him alone!" The Southern prince suddenly felt something soar near his head and he looked right, seeing Elsa and Emma rolling on the ground. That Ice Witch must have pushed her to save me... The short distraction was all Hook needed and he smacked his head against the prince's, causing the prince to fall to the ground in pain. The opponent was forgotten by Hook as he started running to the unconcious Emma. After a few steps however, the pirate got smashed against the ground thanks to the Southern prince. Elsa and Emma had also again gained consciousness and the night colored yellow-blue as their magic crashed together. Hans meanwhile, was about to drive his dagger into the man's chest when Charming took hold of the prince' wrist and wrapped other arm around the man's neck. Pure animalistic instinct kicked in, and Hans dropped his weapon to prey his fingers in-between his neck and Charming's arm. However, after 7 years of Navy training, the prince' lungs were accustomed to long periods of breathing underwater and it was no exception here. His foot connected with Hook's face while keeping his breathing steady under Charming's firm grip. The momentum of Charming picking him up allowed the prince to push his full weight on the man. The sudden move of Hans resulted in Charming smacking on the ground with Hans' weight on him, leaving the prince' second opponent also unconscious for the time-being.

What a day… His head was throbbing with pain, still feeling the harsh head-butt from Hook. The heavily breathing prince took a moment to re-focus his eyes. After a few seconds he could make out Elsa, who was drawn into defense by the blonde woman. The prince glanced for a moment to Hook and refocused back to the retreating queen. Best to stick together with what, or who we know. He sighed when he remembered his words earlier. Looks like the Ice witch needs his help again…

\----------

The female smiled when she saw the fight continue on. It was always like that. Humans were so predictable in their cruel ways. Often no-one knew who began first, or knew who's fault it actually was…. She looked to the auburn-haired prince who stood now back to back with the queen of Arendelle. He had done very well indeed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just for the record: I know a lot of the first chapters look like a simple re-write of season 4A with just Hans thrown in... I promise you, there will be great changes later on in the story. 

The fight scene was very difficult to write and I not that satisfied with it. It was my first written fight scene ever, but I hope to get better in the future. Anyway... What do you think of the characterization of Hans and Elsa?


	4. White-out part 2

Elsa had never used such amount of magic before, let alone on another sorceress like her. Her arms were heavy from keeping them up and her hands began to tremble, causing her magic to come out less stable. She could make out some movement from the corner of her eye and she saw Hans with his sword running towards her. Emma used that moment to attack the queen once more. At first it seemed that Elsa could shield herself with her ice, but her diminished focus caused Emma's light magic to pierce through her ice.

"AAAh!" On instinct tried the queen to shield her face with her arms, but it didn't prevent her from getting blasted away a few feet further. A dazzled queen looked up to see Emma stand over her with yellow glowing hands. Elsa closed her eyes in defeat and waited to be killed on the spot. However the blow never came.

"NO!" The world seemed to burn yellow against a black shadowy figure and the queen narrowed her eyes from the bright light. The magic seemed to get reflected away… The queen blinked once more and could suddenly see Hans' standing before her with his sword blocking Emma's light. A shocked Emma ceased to attack, surprised a normal medieval weapon could withstand magic. Both prince and savior stood across one another, still breathing heavily. Hook and Charming, who had gained conscious again looked also in awe to the two people. The strange quiet moment was broken when a loud crack could be heard; the sound send chills across everyone's spines. They all looked up and saw giant ice rocks come loose from the wall.

"Watch out!" Emma tried to run back along with Hans and Elsa, but the three humans were stopped in their tracks when giant rocks began to block their way.

"No, get back!" Hans grabbed the savior back, preventing her from getting crushed by one of the rocks. Another tremble moved the ground, making even Hans shake in utter fear. He didn't know who did it first. Maybe they did it at the same time. Anyhow, the prince and queen embraced each other, seeking comfort in what they thought were their last hours. The two royals knelt to the ground to make them as small as possible as the rocks buried both them and Emma in a small ice cave.

\------

The sound of parrying swords could be heard far and wide across the hill. "You are doing great!" huffed Anna while they were taking a break.

"We're done. I'm sorry but I can't beat you." Answered Charming unconvinced. "How can I beat her army then?"

" You really like to give up" said the unimpressed princess.

"I know about battles that can be won. Now most importantly is survival for my mother and me."

"Wow. I was wrong. You really, really like to give up"

"I like to survive."

"Surviving isn't living."

"It's the definition of living." David paused, before turning around to face the princess again. And he began to tell of his father, who wanted to change for them.

"After 13 days, he broke his promise, and drunk himself to death in a tavern."

"You're not like your father. Your father was weak. But not you! You are strong, I know that." The redhead sighed. She saw so much from her sister in him. He didn't see what he was capable of and she wanted to make him see that. For the princess was nothing so important as seeing people living up to their true potential. Everyone had something special in them, whether you have magic or not. "Look, I'm going to stay here for one night before I continue my journey. But I'll stay tomorrow to help you if that's what you want. Just… Meet me at the barn so we can continue training." Pleaded the princess before leaving David alone to think of her offering.

\---

The savior looked around. Everything is closed off…. She looked back to the mysterious ice wielder. "Well, that was quite a hit on the head" she said to break the ice. The woman stayed silent.

"Look… I'm sorry I hurt you. I really am. But when your friend attacked Hook… I couldn't let your friend kill him." Still no answer. Emma began to feel her feet curl inside her shoes. Every breath pained her lungs as she took in the ice cold air. She was only a few minutes in this ice cave and she had already so cold… she had to get out of here. "Anyway… The ice-wall is something you made?"

" I did" There was no emotion to be seen on her face. "And as long as I don't get what I want, it stays that way."

"Your sister…" remembered Emma.

"Yes. Bring Anna here, and then I'll consider freeing you."

"Well… I can't really look from in here." Emma's teeth began to shatter. God. I have to keep myself as warm as possible… Her trembling fingers went to her zipper on her jacket and after some fuddling with it, she managed to close it. She sighed in relief when she felt a little bit warmer. A groan emerged from the shadows and both women looked to the auburn-haired prince on the ground.

"Hans! Are you okay?" The ice queen walked slowly to the lying man.

"Yeah, sure!" answered the man sarcastically. "Like everyone is alright after almost being crushed by an avalan-AHG" A blinding pain in his stomach made the prince stop in standing up, and his hand went automatically to the gaping wound. "How did it happen?" asked Elsa while trying to touch the wound, causing Hans to wince at the light touch.

"I think its one of those sharp rocks that are to blame… probably one of them grazed his flesh in the fall and cut it." Pointed Emma out to the ice wall, where some dried blood could vaguely be seen. "We have to take of his coat to stop him from bleeding to death."

When Emma's hand went out to the prince help him to take off his coat, the prince catched her wrist. "Keep your hands off me. I don't need your pity"

"No. But you need our help." Retorted Emma. The tension increased again.

"Why should I trust the woman who defends the murderer of my brother?"

"Alright, stop it!" demanded Elsa, causing the other two to shut their mouth. "I'll do it." She bored her eyes into Hans, challenging the man to say no. "I can also freeze your heart if your dead wish is so dear to you" After a long silence, the prince shoved his pride aside and nodded.

\----------

"June?" David walked into the barn with a napkin next morning. "You have to go, before Bo-Peep returns. I brought some provisions for the journey… June?" The sheppard looked around to find the fiery young woman. "You have to get out of here, while you can still save yourself"

"No, she can't." David looked behind him to find Bo-Peep.

"Where's June?"

"I have her where she can't get out" smiled the arrogant woman while swinging the snowflake necklace in her arms.

"And even if she would escape… I will find her. I have her…branded" the staff glowed for a second as she spoke the last word. "always and forever. Now. I believe your clock is ticking, young man. Meet me in two hours to hand over my payment. Same place." After a small smile the woman vanished again, leaving the man outraged with Anna's capture.

\--------

Elsa looked up from the shivering prince when she heard a voice call out. "Emma can you hear me?"

"What is that?" asked Elsa suspiciously of the magic box.

"Its… a…device…" slurred Emma. "for talking to people… on the other side." While keeping one hand on the bleeding prince she took with the other the walkie-talkie and pressed with difficulty the button. "Dad, it's me."

"Emma!" "Say again!" The women smiled when she heard Hook. He was alright.

"I'm here….. with this women, Elsa. She's looking for…. her sister…. Anna. She believes…. she's here… because she found her necklace… in Gold shop…." The woman had more and more difficulty to speak as the cold began to take more and more hold on her. "She wants me to find her… Before-" The Ice queen took the device from Emma's fingers. "Before I freeze this town and everyone in it."

\----

Both David and Hook sprinted to Gold's shop. Since that's where Elsa found Anna's necklace it was their best option to search for answers. The bell tinkled upon opening the door and both Belle and Gold looked up. "It appears our Honeymoon is over"

"Emma is trapped in an ice cave with a woman called Elsa." said Charming.

"And this involves me because-"

"You're the bloody dark one, do something" interrupted Hook who was losing his temper. The man felt so powerless, and it ate at him for not being able to help Emma.

"Well, I can destroy the ice without a thought… but your girlfriend would be in pieces as well I'm afraid. We wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Anyway…." Charming stopped Hook from lashing out to the Crocodile. "She found her sister's necklace in your shop"

"Is this it?" Belle took out a dark-white photo and gave it to Charming.

"I..I know that necklace" Charming thought back to the red-haired girl who didn't wanted to tell his real name. 'I'm June…' You are not June" 

"I know who Anna is"

\------

The Ice queen had removed herself from the two shivering people. Since her body temperature was lower than a normal one, it wouldn't exactly help the two keeping warm.

"I'm sorry…for your brother's loss" whispered Emma with shattering teeth while keeping the coat against the prince' wound.

Hans looked surprised to the blonde woman. . "Thank you." Said the prince after a long pause. The color had drained from his face; probably from both the cold and the blood loss.

"What was his name?"

It took far more time for the prince to answer that question. The hypothermia had gone into its second stage. "Lars" He blinked a few times, trying to keep focus.

"Really? You were close friends?"

"As thick as brothers could be…"

\---------

The Southern Seas, 1836

"How is it going brother?" The young boy looked up, slightly looking green.

"Terrible" Another turnover by his stomach caused the boy again to throw over in a bucket. "I feel like I'm dying"

The older brother chuckled while he passed a cup of water to his sibling, who gratefully accepted. "The sea legs will get over after a few days" The two brothers differed 8 years in age, but that didn't stop the two from becoming close friends. After long whining and pleading with their father, the young prince was finally allowed to go on a voyage with his brother. The boy didn't know the details as for why his brother had to go; something about going on a diplomatic mission to help their trade relations. He didn't care, like any normal teenager at their 16th name-day. He was just happy to be out here. Even the sea-sickness couldn't destroy his good mood.

"I really hope so." The boy looked out to the vast ocean. "How long until we reach Dunebroch?"

"If the sea gods are merciful, around two weeks."

"How do you know that, if it's the first time you ever sailed to that place?" asked the frowning boy.

"Map reading."

"What?"

"You don't know?" asked Lars while he took his sibling to his cabin.

"All I have learned so far, is how to make knots"

"Ah, right." Nodded Lars while he layed a large parchment on the table. "Well Hans, it seems you will get to learn something the other sailor apprentices only learn in their third year."

The boy's face lit up the entire time while listening fascinated to his older brother's explaination. Soon, Hans wanted to try to localize their position and pointed out where they should be at this moment. The brother chuckled softly and moved the boy's hand a bit more to the North.

"Not bad." Commented Lars. "You have a good eye, Hans" The boy gleamed with pride at his brother's compliment. The two siblings however looked up when one of the crewmen barged in. "Your highness! Pirates are coming our way!" Lars' face became serious again and he went outside, followed by his shorter sibling.

"Can't we avoid them?" asked Lars to Stefan while looking up to the unopened sails.

"No Your highness. Even if we open up all our sails, they would still catch us. We're too close"

"Right. Quarter master, get the weapons on deck." Normally he would have just called him Stefan, knew Hans. The boy looked in awe as he saw his brother yell instructions to his crew, and he breathed heavily trying to get his nerves under control. Everything would be alright. Lars and Stefan and all the other crewmen… They would get through it. He would help to defend their ship. he looked behind them to see the pirate ship coming closer.

"Hans!" The boy looked up to his brother. "Get below deck. Things will get ugly in a few moments."

"But I want to help" answered the boy, still innocent to the dangers of War.

"You will help me when I know you are safe" said Lars while ushering the boy into the cabin.

"But-"

"That's an order, Hans!" barked his brother. The boy winced under his brother's outburst and stayed silent. He never had yelled like that to him…Hans stayed put while he tried to make out what happened above deck. The noise was immense: screams and the sound of metal clashing together, gunshots… As the battle lasted longer and longer, so did his patience diminish. He couldn't just stay here… The boy looked around and saw a dagger stuck into the same table where he learned map reading. Quickly the boy took it and ran outside, only to be horrified by the horrible scene before him.

"AAAH!"

Hans turned around to see a man swinging his sword to him. If it weren't for the quick reflexes of the boy, the man would have cleaved his head off. STACK! The swing of the sword was so hard it got stuck into the wooden reeling. Hans' training kicked in and drove his dagger through the man's neck before he could react. He did that… Hans looked to the dead man on the ground and felt the urge to throw over. A scream shook the dazzled prince out of his trance and he looked up to see Lars with a sword through his chest.

"NOOO!" A storm of emotions swirled through the prince as he saw his brother fall dead on the ground, but it was the red hot anger who took quickly over. Fuming with rage took Hans the sword from the man he killed. The murderer smiled nonchalant to the teenager while he blocked the unstable swing.

"You will have to do better than that mate!" Hans gritted his teeth as he swung again and again, without managing to even scratch the pirate. He was playing with me… realized Hans. When the pirate attacked him, the prince could barely keep up with him and walked backwards, thrown into defence. The young prince didn't have enough strength yet in his still developing body and with each swing he felt himself tire more and more. Again the pirate attacked and his arm shook from blocking the strong swing, only inches away from his neck. Both stood there sweating in the burning sun, while keeping their swords against one another and testing each other strength. After a strong push, the young boy stumbled backwards and fell due to the slippery bloody ground. He quickly searched for his sword, but stiffed when he felt the pirate's sharp sword in his adam's apple. With the adrenaline leaving his body, he suddenly realized that everything had gone quiet on deck. He looked around to see a few of the crewmen lower their weapons.

"Take what you want boys" laughed Hook while a few pirates yanked Hans up and bound his hands together on the back while others bur glared the cabins, their food and clothes.

"Now, I believe a thank you is in order" Hook turned his attention back to Hans and before the boy could react, sliced the pirate-captain with his hook across his flesh. The boy screamed when a red hot pain cursed through his chest and he looked down to see his blood trickling down.

"You're not going to kill me?" dared the boy to say.

"No." smirked the pirate-captain. "That's a reminder. You fought well while trying to avenge your brother. And let's just say I am in a good mood today. I'll let you live. If our paths cross again, I won't be as merciful as I was now. "

"I look forward to it" spat the boy with burning hatred.

"Me too, lad, me too"

\--------

"He's not the man anymore you encountered, Hans" spoke Emma softly. "I have seen him change."

"I'm sorry, but I can't believe he changed o so suddenly to a good guy all because of you."

"He didn't change because of me" said Emma to the shivering prince.

"He changed because he wanted to. I have seen a lot of villains, Hans, but what I've learnt is that evil isn't born, its made. Sometimes, we just have to give them a second chance, to start over again…" It was quiet for a long time in the cave. Elsa pretended not to hear what Emma said.

"Evil isn't born…" 

"Born with magic or cursed?" 

"Born, and they are getting stronger"

"…Its made"

"Don't be the monster they fear you are!"

Elsa looked sideways to the man who once tried to kill her. It was so easy to see him as the boogeyman. Now, the illusion she had held before her had shattered for good, and she didn't know how to feel about it.

\----------

"By noon… You're right on time" said Bo-Peep, averting her eyes from the necklace to David. "I hope you got my money."

"I don't"

"You're not considering to actually fight me, are you?" Bo-Peep smiled because of Charmings naiveté. "Boys?"

The two henchmen attacked the young sheppard simultaneously, but they would immediately regret it. Anna's instincts were right to see the young men was a prodigy in the sword. Soon both the men laid unconscious on the ground.

"Guess I have to deal with you myself" David attacked again, whoever this time had less luck. Prodigy or not, Bo-Peep cornered him with her years of experience.

"You've lost" David rolled away before the sword sliced his head off and quickly held his sword against the warlock's neck. The defeated women dropped her sword and David bound her hands around a tree, a lot harsher then normally was needed. After he was sure the women had no way to escape he searched for June with the staff. he took off into a sprint when he realized June was in the house nearby, barging the door open. Being suspicious for a booby trap, the man stayed quiet when suddenly the air was knocked out of his lungs.

"Oh!" He looked up to see his attacker and saw the red-haired girl holding up a wooden plank to smash his head. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were one of them!" The man held up her necklace.

"I got it back"

"You did it, you fought.. and you won!".

"Don't be so surprised, it was your idea" said David while trying to stand up. "But.. You were right. It was an impossible battle… That I had to win" Both smiled to each other.

\--------

"Emma, stay awake!" Elsa shook the women's shoulder after seeing the woman slump next to Hans. "Emma!" The queen tried again and shook harder. No response. A chuckle came from the prince and she looked to him.

"You must really enjoy this….. You get to see me freeze to death… without even laying a finger on me" cracked the prince. His mouth didn't cooperate. It felt as his tongue stuck to his palate.

The queen's blood ran cold when she didn't see him shiver. That wasn't good. It meant his body was trying to protect itself, by going into overdrive, giving the owner the feeling he had warm before it shut down completely.

"I don't enjoy this one bit" she answered to the pale prince who's eyes began to close again. The queen quickly gave him a slap. "stay awake!"

The prince glanced to almost unconscious Emma. "We are going to die here."

"Don't say that!" panicked Elsa when she heard him say those words.

"Or what? You are going to run away from us, just like on your coronation?" rasped the prince angrily. The queen opened her mouth to retort when the prince cut her off again. "Did you hide away from your people too, when they buried the people who froze to death in their houses?" The queen looked away from the prince' burning gaze. "Just like I thought."

"I had to get away, from them, from Anna…"

"I don't care what your reasons were, Witch!" tried Hans to yell, but it only came out in a small whisper. "Emma and I will die. You will too if you don't MELT THAT WALL!" The prince tried to grab the woman's arm, but he didn't had the strength anymore to even touch her. His auburn hair was decorated with white frost, and his lips had become blue as well.

"I…I don't know, I-"

"Stop being so damn insecure! You're the queen of Arendelle, so ACT like it!" snapped Hans.

The Ice queen seemed to snap out of her panicked state by those harsh words and she stood up again. Her hands began to glow blue and her magic flowed again through her, piercing the wall like a drill. Emma was the first to get awake again with the temperature change and Elsa looked hopeful to the prince… who had fallen unconscious. She wouldn't let him die. Not like Anna. Not like her parents. The queen doubled her efforts.

\---------

Both Hook and Charming ran back to the ice wall with Bo-Peep's staff. "Bloody hell…" said the pirate when the ice cave began to glow. Suddenly a loud crack could be heard and the two men saw how a hole appeared in the ice cave. "Emma?" "D-Dad?" Hook and Charming rushed to the wall. "Emma!" Hook was the first to get into the cave and catched Emma in his arms.

"You're alright?"

"Yeah… I-I'am…" Stuttered Emma as she relaxed into Hook's warm body. "But… Hans… He's…" The pirate looked into the direction of David and Elsa, who were with the auburn-haired man.

The man might have attacked him and Hook, reasoned David, but he didn't deserve to die like this. Hans didn't even react when the man touched his wound. This wasn't good… 

\---------

"Here are some provisions, In case you're hungry." Said Ruth warmly to the red-haired princess. Always the curious one, Anna looked inside.

"I love sandwiches" smiled she kindly to the elder woman.

"You have changed him you know"

"David? Nah. He was always like that. Just…" the princess hesitated. "is this magic usual around here? Like Bo-Peep's staff?"

"There is always a bit of magic around these parts"

"My parents had a problem with magic, very powerful stuff" said the red-head. "Anyway… is there anyone who could help with that?"

The old woman smiled nervously. "There is someone… I rather not talk about him, but.. He is powerful"

"Great! Perhaps he can help me! What's his name?"

"I don't like to say such a name…But I will write it down for you" The woman disappeared into the house when David came along to help Anna on the horse.

"Look at you, the hero" joked Anna to David.

"I'm still just a sheppard"

"We'll see."

Ruth came back and gave a small piece of paper to Anna, who nodded in gratitude before giving her horse instructions to ride forward.

"Rumple" mumbled the princess when she read the strange name. she had to read it again for getting the name right. "Rumplestiltskin…"

\-----------

When Charming and Hook came into Charmings house with the unconscious man in their arms, Doctor Whale was already there. Charming had called him on the phone while they were driving home and the two men carried Hans close to the small fire. Elsa came next with Emma and helped to woman to sit on the couch. Henry had heard the news from Whale and so the young kid had already taken out some hot blankets and prepared some hot cocoa with cinnamon.

"Thanks, kid" shattered Emma and she slurped carefully from the hot drink, sighing in relief when she felt the warm drink descend in her stomach. The ice queen meanwhile began to help to warm Hans up, seeing that Emma was in no critical danger anymore. While Doctor Whale began to stitch the man's wound with needle and dread, shuffled Charming in the firewood to get some more warmth into the house.

"is he going to be alright?" asked the queen softly while pulling a cushion under the man's head. Henry had pulled out the man's boots and socks and pulled the man's feet slowly in the little bowl of hot water.

"He wouldn't have made it if he had stayed there another 5 minutes, Miss" spoke Doctor Whale serious while keeping his eyes on the task. Elsa began to massage the man's stiff blue hands to get the blood circulating again. It was a strange moment, with everyone coming in and out of different rooms to attend to either Hans or Emma.

"are you alright love?" whispered Hook who held Emma close.

"Yeah…I am…" whispered the savior with rozy cheeks from the gentle warmth. "Just… Tired"

Doctor Whale bandaged the prince's abdomen after stitching the gaping wound. "He will need to rest if he wants the stitches to hold. Otherwise the wound might open again."

"Thank you, Whale" said Charming while helping the doctor out.

The Ice queen could tell the hypothermia was losing. His body temperature was still not normal, but at least it had begun to rise again. Still she went on to massage his limbs, knowing that they could still get "Black", meaning that that that part of the body was dead and had to be amputated.

Charming had come back too and together with Henry covered the prince with multiple blankets, and started rubbing, just like Elsa to get the blood circulating again. The frost in the prince's hair had melted now and some color came back on his cheeks. Slowly, as for not opening the wound again, took Charming with the help of Henry the Prince to one of their gast rooms on the main floor.

"Are you alright, Elsa?" asked Emma to the quiet woman.

"Yeah.. I… I just hope my sister and Hans are okay" said the queen while crossing her arms.

"He will be" said Emma to ensure the queen. "And we're going to find her."

"Perhaps I can help to lift your spirit" said David as he gave Bo-Peep's staff to Elsa, who looked puzzled to the object.

"This staff had her branded… And it should point out where she is" explained David to the queen.

"Why isn't anything happening?" asked Elsa worried when nothing happened.

"Wait… what's that sound?" commented Henry when he heard a strange thump-thump in the air.

"…Is that a heartbeat?"

"It is… we may not know where you're sister is… but we know the most important thing off all.."

"She's alive!" laughed Elsa relieved by the good news. Yet the queen's eyes went blurry as well when the stress and fear she had felt in these 24 hours come lose. "She's alive!" she had to say it again to actually believe it.

"Who's alive?" asked Snow who looked surprised to the strange woman in their house.

"This is Elsa" spoke Charming to his loving wife. "And we're going to find her sister. Because we really, really don't want to give up."

Elsa smiled warmly to the little family before she went into the same room as Hans to sleep, despite Snow offering her another one.

"I want to be with him, in case things get critical again" declined the queen politely. Snow nodded, understanding the woman's concern for her friend.

The queen sat beside the now sleeping prince, determined to stay wake the whole night. But soon the queen's eyes closed too. Immune to the cold or not, Even queens found their breaking point sooner or later.


	5. Rocky Road part 1

Hans blinked, looking to a strange wooden ceiling. Where was he… His hand went for his head, wincing as he felt a huge bruise on his forehead. His body felt as if a horse had been sitting on him and his throat felt like he had swallowed a whole bucket of salt sea water. The prince shifted in the warm comfortable bed, when he suddenly felt something bump against his body. He looked down to see the sleeping queen of Arendelle with her head on the bed. Had she… stayed awake the whole night? The prince took a few strings of hair from her face while admiring the young queen. She had saved him. Even while she could have just let him die… she choose to save him anyway. a warm feeling went through the prince's body and he closed his eyes for a moment. That didn't mean anything. She just wanted to keep him alive to stand trial in her country. That was all….The prince's thoughts got interrupted however when he felt the queen stir on the bed.

"Oh…I-I'm so sorry!" stuttered the red faced queen when she fully realized she had fallen asleep next to him.

"Its alright" calmed Hans her down. "think nothing of it" Nobody ever held watch over me when I was sick….

"Oh.. Well…" The queen looked away from the prince, not knowing how to react. "Good"

"Anyway…Thank you. For saving my life" spoke Hans softly causing Elsa to look surprised back. The queen quickly hid it underneath a stone mask; but hans, ever the great observer, had seen it.

"You're welcome" said the queen politely back. "How do you feel?"

"I've felt better… still a bit stiff and my fingers are still difficult to flex…."

The silence after that was strangely comfortable. The two looked to each other without feeling the distrust and tension as they had before.

The door opened and Snow came in, followed by Doctor Whale.

"Hans, this is Doctor Whale who attended to your wounds, and that's Snow, who let us stay here for the time being" introduced Elsa to the prince. The prince shook the hands of them both.

"I'm forever in your debt"

"Its merely my duty to care for my patients Sir" spoke the doctor, before returning his attention to the young queen. "Miss, if you would please leave the room so I can attend to his wounds?" The queen stood up quickly, following Snow outside.

"Uhm, Elsa.." Snow looked to the blonde woman. She didn't know how to say it.

"with the snow monster and the ice wall… People have become quite afraid again. We have already had experience with all kind of different curses…"

"I see."

"No, no, not that way!" corrected Snow quickly. "I mean that you are quite striking in this town. You would quickly draw attention. It would be better for your safety as well as that off Hans, that you would dress like we do."

"Ah… Yes of course" said Elsa while following Margaret.

"I can lend you some of Emma's. I think you have about the same height…" spoke Snow motherly to Elsa while she put a garderobe together for the queen. After pointing Elsa out how to use the bathroom left Snow the queen alone to bathe.

The breakfast was just served in the Charmings house as both Hans and Elsa came out at the same time, looking astonished to each other.

Hans had a blue shirt on with jeans from Charming who had about the same size as the prince. Elsa blushed when she saw the well trained body of the prince through the shirt. He must have really worked out in prison.

The ice queen had a comfortable white blouse, feeling uncomfortable with the tight black pants on as she was used to wearing long dresses all the time. Hans'eyes didn't agree with the queen's discomfort as he looked to the queen's beautiful curves. Damn, what a woman.

Both sat down with the family, both thinking at the same time how utterly strange this morning was, eating with the person who you once wanted to choke to death.

The quiet Sunday morning was suddenly broken when the door rang. Emma, who sat closest to the door, opened it.

"Swann, I got something I found in the cave from-" Hook froze when he saw Hans awake and well. He swallowed not knowing how the man would react this time.

"What is it?" asked Emma who was looking to the bundle that Hook held. Hook walked however to the prince and knelt before him.

"I think this belongs to you" said the pirate while revealing the prince' broken sword as well as his belt with his dagger still in his sheath. "I found it when we were trying to pull the electricity cable back up…" babbled the pirate. The prince'face was emotionless when he looked from the objects on the table back to him. Slowly the prince' hand went up and it lingered in the air waiting for the pirate to shake it in return, which he did eagerly. Both men smiled to each other.

"So, This Gold…" spoke Hans after drinking a sip of coffee. "He put Elsa in that urn and magically brought me here too?"

"That's what we are going to find out" said Emma. "The first thing we are going to to is go to him and ask him that."

"Great!" The prince stiffed slightly when he stood up abruptly.

"Oh, no, you stay here" said Elsa after she saw the prince' face wince in pain.

"I'm ok" said the stubborn man, not wanting to show any more weakness.

"No, you're not! I haven't saved you just so you can collapse again from exhaustion" chided Elsa the young prince.

Snow and Charming tried to held back a smile. They were just like a married couple.

"You are staying right HERE" boomed Elsa with her "I'm the queen"-voice. The prince however stared back without even flinching at the woman's voice.

"Well I can't just stay here while there are answers to be found about our memory loss!"

A loud cough from Emma prevented the two royals from getting again in a cat fight.

"Hans, perhaps it is better to stay put a little bit longer. When you're feeling better, you can come to the sherrif station to help Snow and Charming to look for Anna" shushed the savior. "Meanwhile, Elsa and I can go to Gold… in that way, everyone is split up, and so we have more chance to find more answers"

To Elsa's surprise, nodded the prince at the savior's train of thought. Why does that prince listen to HER like a trained dog? With her nose up in the air, the queen walked out of the door followed by Emma.

\-----

"Rocky road, for the little man, and his dashing father" said the silver-haired woman friendly while giving the two ice-cream. "And what would you like?"

"uhm.." spoke Marian softly. "I don't know…"

"With us, We only have mud and earth as flavor" said Robin to the woman who began wrap some ice cream on a cookie.

"ah, well, here is the best of the best. There is no problem that can be solved with a bit of Ice…" said the woman as she gave the ice cream to Marion. The little family smiled politely and went out the door while licking of the soft treat.

\---

"The truth is… just as I said. I know nothing of Elsa. Or her sister." Said the dark one while Belle held up the dagger.

"But I wish you every luck finding her" went Rumple on, while Belle put the dagger down.

Elsa sighed. She had hoped to get some answers, maybe even get some memories back from the triggering. But no. nothing.

\---

Arendelle, 1845.

The worried queen paced back and forth in the study room. "And no one has heard of Anna? There are no seightings of any of our scouts?"

"Since you asked me ten seonds ago…Nope" answered Kristoff calmly to the queen, who stopped pacing at the man's words. "She's going to be fine. I've seen Anna fight wolves and snowmonsters and that…idiot from the Southern Isles?"

"Hans" said the queen with her lips in a thin line when thinking again of the man.

"Whatever his name is" went Kristoff on. "look, the point is, she can take care of herself, so stop worrying!"

"Well, I can't just sit here" decided the queen. "I'm going after her."

"She told me you'd try that, and she told me to stop you" smiled Kristoff.

"Well, you can't. I'm the queen." Retorted Elsa to the ice harvester, hoping he would shut his mouth already.

"Which is exactly why you need to stay in Arendelle, as you told her" Kristoff's words stopped the queen in her tracks and she slowly returned to the table.

"Yep, Anna was right" said Kristoff astonished it had actually worked. "Logic and reason DO work on you!"

The queen sighed in defeat. "She knows me too well."

"Its not hard to see" commented Kristoff. "You're a softie" The queen looked up amused to her soon to be brother-in-law. "between that, 'obey me I'm the queen'-thing".

"Why is it your compliments are so… aggravating?" asked the queen, less stressed out by kristoff's calming words.

"Well, I start out that way but… You'll warm up to me"

The door barged open and both Elsa and Kristoff looked up to see one of her generals coming in. "Your majesty. I'm sorry I'm barging in like this, but we have news from one of our scouts."

"have you seen anna?"

"No, but they found something else in their search"

The queen opened the letter and began to read.

"Well, what does it say?" asked Kristoff when the queen stayed quiet.

"There is an army in the Southern mountains, heading for Arendelle. Led by Prince Franz of the Southern Isles" The queen pressed her Lips together. Hans must have convinced his brothers and have twisted the events during the great Freeze.

"I know every inch of that valley, let me sneak up and see what they're up to." Said Kristoff serious.

"I didn't realize the official Arendelle Ice master and deliverer got a say in matters" said the general disgusted by the Sami.

"He doesn't" said the queen before turning back to kristoff. "You are not going anywhere, its too dangerous. My sister wants a wedding, its probably best the groom is alive" Not another one of their family, thought Elsa. First Anna, now Kristoff. Couldn't they just let me handle things on my own?

"So I'll be really careful"

"You are staying right here. As you said, I'm the queen of Arendelle, so let me be the queen, and handle it" said Elsa to the ice harvester.

\---

 

Hans layed down back on his bed, suddenly feeling dizzy once again. Was it a fever? He groaned. It was the least he wanted right now. It would have been a strange sight if Snow or Charming had come in to check on him. Although the man had fallen asleep, suddenly his eyes went open to reveal two green irises glowing in the dimmed room.

\---

"Marion!" Robin quickly catched the falling woman before she hit the ground. The convention quickly ran to them and while they watched, a white streak began to appear on the woman's black hair.

"Its that Ice witch again!"

"She cursed her!"

"Alright, everyone stay calm!" yelled Snow. "Everyone get out besides Robin, Let her get some space! David, get Regina, quickly!" While Charming ushered the people out and closed the door behind him (for safekeeping, you never knew), Snow helped Marion with Robin on the couch. The people outside however began to gossip.

"Today it's Marion. Tomorrow she could freeze the whole town!"

"Wait, you can't just condemn her without looking at all the facts." Said Archie carefully, trying to calm the mute down.

"Look around, who else can people turn into popsicles. It's Elsa, and we all know it!" yelled Grumpy, followed by an agreeing angry mob.

\---

"I am doing what Elsa said" argued Kristoff with Sven who grunted in response.

Kristoff sighed. "alright, fine. I'm disobeying her. but she will be glad Sven, you'll see. She just doesn't know it yet. Now stay put buddy." Kristoff walked slowly forward to the large camp, while making sure he didn't make any kind of sound. Well, he wasn't exaggerating… he really does have twelve brothers… it worried him though. All twelve heirs to the southern throne here to attack Arendelle? They really think it big…

If we attack from the secret passage, they'll never know what's coming to them" said Jurgen while looking to the map.

"If the passage is still useful. It could have collapsed in all those decades." Argued Franz.

"So, lets go from the mountains then." Said another brother called Frederick who pointed to one of the passages on the mountain.

"No. If you go from the mountains, we would be stuck there. We have no open field to crush them with our numbers. They could see us from miles and our surprise element would be gone. They would crush us in the day" spoke Hans while observing the map.

He looked up to see his brothers looking at him like he was some horse shit. Slowly he saw Jurgen come to him and the youngest prince clenched his fists.

"Tell me again why our father had to bring that Bastard Storm here, Franz." Hans gritted his teeth in rage when he heard his second name.

"Yeah. Somehow, the man believes from some foul common slut that he would conquer and become King of Arendelle"

"Don't talk about my mother like that!" growled the prince.

"What? That she was a whore who spread her legs for our father?" said Frederick while ducking Hans'fist. The auburn-haired man quickly was overwhelmed by several other half-brothers, and his brother punched the prince in his stomach, causing Hans to double over.

"You haven't seen what the queen can do!" said the prince while spitting some blood out of his mouth.

"I don't need to." Spoke Jurgen while holding up a parchment to Hans.

\---

"Even if they have enough men to storm the castle, I'd freeze them before they reach the gate" said the queen on the war meeting, while imagining every situation possible.

"Prince Hans has seen what you can do." Said the general to his queen.

"And they know how to defeat her!" called a voice, disrupting the meeting. Elsa looked around and saw Kristoff running into the room.

"Kristoff, should'nt you be somewhere else?" said the queen, trying to get the Sami boy out of the hostile glares of her generals. There were still many who didn't want the Sami's to get recognized as a nationality. Let alone let one of them get married to the princess. It had costed Elsa months to get her council convinced, and she hoped that the Sami wouldn't do anything provoking. If they changed their mind again…

"I should be, I mean… I went to spy on Franz and his brothers okay?"

"You disobeyed me!" said the queen.

"Punish me after I tell you what I found. There is a urn hidden in the north valley, it has the power to trap people like you"

"Like..me?"

"With magic" specified Kristoff. "They want to use it against you and then invade Arendelle."

"Your majesty" interrupted one of her generals. "If that's truly his plan, let us take the fight to him."

"No, I will not risk that many lives. There has to be a way to avoid war" spoke the queen clear.

"I know the valley, the shortcut that they don't… let me bring a few soldiers, and let me destroy the urn." Said the ice harvester.

He wanted to prove himself before her council… But even if they gather soldiers that are willing to follow the Sami, The generals would still doubt him, if he had destroyed the urn or not. He must have someone with him, who they believe…

"You can bring one. Me" spoke the queen.

\---

"What happened?" asked Emma with Elsa behind her trail.

"You should ask your girlfriend over there" said Regina who looked up to the ice queen.

"This… I didn't do it. Someone else did that. We believe that same person, whoever she is, is holding up the wall as well." After Elsa, Emma and Hook had talked to Gold, they went to the ice wall. When Elsa tried to melt it, it didn't even shrink. She didn't know how to feel. Someone was out there, with the same powers as her's who had frozen a person as well. Maybe she could help that person, to work everything out...

"And we're supposed to trust you?"

"You can trust me, if you don't trust her" spoke Emma. "If she says its someone else, I believe her"

"So… How do we break the spell?"

"Only love can thaw a frozen heart" spoke Elsa, remembering the line Olaf spoke to her.

"True love's kiss" realized Regina.

"Well, then there is no time to loose" said Robin who dove in to kiss Marion. When their lips parted again, he looked up. "Why isn't it working?"

It was silent in the room when they saw the true love's kiss didn't work. How could they save Marion now?

"Right, we need to find out who did this" said Emma. "Did you meet anyone today? Ate something?"

Robin's eyes widened when he remembered the ice cream he and Marion ate with Roland and he quickly told her.

"Alright, I'm going to check it out" said Emma. "Killian, can you take Elsa to the sherrif station? If people hear of this, they will come to have her head."

"I'd rather save yours then her's"

"I don't have the time to argue with you, so just do as I say!" snapped Emma before running out of the room.

\---

"There it is" said Kristoff pointing to the urn. "Now, let's destroy it."

"Do I need to do it? Or do you prefer it to smatch it to pieces with your axe?" said Elsa.

"Well, my arm is a little rusty so I think you should do the honours, your majesty." Said the ice harvester while they were walking towards the urn.

"Why thank you, Ice master" smiled the queen. She took the urn out of the hiding place. The moment she touched it, some carved words became visible. "Wait… there is something written on it. I can't read it. What do you think?" asked the queen while holding out the urn to Kristoff.

"Dangerous urn, keep away!" Elsa smiled by the Sami's comment. "just a guess. Does it matter? Let's destroy it."

"What if it can tell me if there are other's like me… I'm the only one in my family born with magic, I like to know why."

"Elsa, right now we need to destroy it, for your own good, and Arendelle. Just-"

"No!" said the queen while holding the urn away from Kristoff. "I might not get another chance!"

Suddenly the two went quiet when they heard footsteps galming in the cave.

"Someone is coming." Both Ardellians looked behind them and saw the four Westerguard Brothers.

"The Urn!" yelled Jurgen. "Get it!"

Franz and Frederick ran to the queen while Hans and Jurgen focused on Kristoff. The bulky mountain man quickly punched Jurgen with the wooden end of his axe in his face, causing the man to fall with a bleeding nose on the ground. The man didn't have time to rest however as he had to block Hans's sword, which barely cut the man's arm.

The queen however had the two other brothers pinned with her icicles against the wall, which began to grow closer and closer to their vital organs.

"Queen Elsa!" The queen turned around to see a smirking Jurgen coming her way. "Give the urn or your friend dies" The queen looked in kristoff's direction to see Hans with his sword against Kristoff's neck. She turned again her attention to the black-haired prince.

"Elsa, Don't!" whispered Kristoff who sissed in pain when he felt the blade pressed deeper in his neck.

Slowly the queen waved her hand after which the icicles disappeared around the other imprisoned brothers.

"Now that's a good little queen" smirked the man when Elsa gave him the urn. The man nodded slightly to his released brothers who grabbed the queen. She couldn't do anything. Not while Kristoff was held hostage. The oath she had taken as queen echoed again in her head.

"Do you swear to protect this country and its inhabitants?" 

"I do solemnly swear"

After a short struggle the queen of Arendelle was brought to her knees with her hands pressed on the back by Franz.

"behead her."

\---------------------------------

"The Sami people (also Sámi or Saami), are an indigenous Finno-Ugric people inhabiting the Arctic area of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. " (Wikipedia)

When I was looking to the traditional clothing of the Sami people, i recognised many parallels between Kristoff's clothing in the movie. Sami people were highly discriminated, especially in the time period Arendelle takes place. This is why the generals act so distrustful against Kristoff.


	6. Rocky Road part 2

"Come on Love" said Hook while the coast was clear. Elsa hesitated.

"I'm not coming with you. There is someone out there with the same powers as me… I'm not going to sit in some…sherrif station" said the queen while having difficulty to say the last word.

"ah, that's alright then, because that's not where we're going."

"Its not?"

"The sherrif station is that way" and Hook pointed in the opposite direction.

"then… what's that way?" asked Elsa.

"With any luck… danger" smiled the handsome pirate. Elsa followed, intrigued to where the pirate was taking them.

\----

Emma and Charming had gone to the ice cream shop and after Will helping them out with opening the lock the two went in, only to find everything abandoned.

"Everything looks normal to me" said Emma.

"Check the back" said Knave. "And you'll see I'm right." Both people went to the backside of the shop and were greeted by a whole room, covered in blue-white frost.

"He was right" said Charming. "guess we owe him an apology." A doorbell rinkled and the two went back only to see nobody in the shop. "Damn it, he's gone again."

"Don't get stressed out. You will find him again."

"Regina is right" said Emma, not listening to her father. "I'm terrible. I can't even help myself when I'm in a snow cave or protect everyone from a snowmonster… I let Will go…"

"Emma!" Charming took hold of Emma's arms to calm his daughter.

"Right now he's not important. Let's just look step by step and look for the woman who did this, alright?"

\---

 

"I have hunted you a long time, my old crocodile, and I know you better then anyone. I know you would never give anyone the control over you… Not even Belle" manipulated Hook.

"That's a big insinuation…. You have proof?" Said Gold while looking up to the pirate.

"I can just go to Belle and ask her to summon you… and let her realize the dagger is a fake. Proof enough" Hook saw Gold's face slightly twitch. Bingo.

"He agrees to help you" said Hook to Elsa, who stood a few meters further away as for not invade the conversation.

"This… is a hair of Marion" The queen gave it to Gold. "We want to know who casted the curse on her."

"Funny thing about magic… it can never be destroyed" explained Gold while waving his hand above the strand of hair, who disintegrated into small snowflakes. "everyone has their own pattern, like everyone has different, unique fingerprints."

"Poetic" said Hook impatiently to the dark one. "How does that help?"

"Magic seeks out magic… so if I set it free…" Gold breathed on the snowflakes who began to fly out of the shop. "It will lead you to the person who casted it."

\---

 

Hans looked shocked to his older brother. "That was not the plan! We were going to imprison her in that urn, not kill her. If the people hear of this, they will never trust us!" Kristoff felt the blade's pressure diminish on his throat.

"ah, there is still that stupid ginger sister. I'm not going to sleep with an Ice freak like her" spoke Jurgen nonchalantly while putting the urn on the ground. Kristoff tried to break free when he heard Jurgen insult his fiancé and suddenly he felt Hans' arm grab him less hard then he did before.

"Where's Anna?" whispered the prince into Kristoff's ear.

"Gone" said the Ice harvester angrily, thinking the prince wanted to finish her off when Elsa was gone.

"Good" breathed the prince. Kristoff's eyes widened at the answer. Wait.. was he happy that Anna was gone? Too many questions for the short time Elsa had. Frederick held up the sword, trying to calculate the swing it needed to slice Elsa's head off.

"Hit me." Kristoff felt the prince' grip disappear completely and he pushed his elbow into the prince's face. It wasn't that hard, but the prince fell back as if it was much harder. He was playing theater, realized kristoff. The brothers looked up and saw the large bulky ice harvester storming towards the executioner, punching him so hard that he fell unconscious a few meters away. The other brothers came out of their trance, while Franz still held the queen by her neck, making it difficult to breathe and to resist. Hans looked up to see Franz hold something. It was slowly blinking in the small light of the cave and Hans realized it was his dagger. He would be too late to stop Franz if he ran to them. The urn was in the however visible in the corner of the prince' eye and so he took off the lid, hoping to absorb the queen in it and saving her from his brother. Suddenly everyone felt themself stiffen as a white liquid came out of the urn, feeling the magic radiating from it. As all of the liquid had fallen out, it rose up in the air, forming into a human-like figure before it revealed a silver-haired woman.

"what's going on, who are you?" spoke Jurgen. It wasn't supposed to release another sorceress!

"From what I've just heard, I believe you called me a freak" spoke the woman calmly. It was that casualness, that chilled all the brother's to the bone. The woman raised her hand and suddenly all the brothers, except for Hans, were turned into Ice.

Elsa crawled from under Franz' arms to face the woman who saved her and Kristoff. "Thank you. You… you saved me."

"I know from experience that no-one should be trapped into that urn. Especially someone as special as you." The woman looked behind her to the auburn-haired man. "Who's this?"

Before Elsa could answer, Kristoff interrupted her. "He let me loose to save Elsa. If he hadn't done that, she would have died."

The silver-haired woman smiled to the prince, but there was no inkling of warmth in it. The prince looked to her with equal distrust before standing up. He had a nack for reading people. He could see right through her perfect little mask.

\---

 

Elsa and Hook were following the snowflakes through the forest for a while now. "We're close" said Hook when he saw the snowflakes fall down. "She must be somewhere"

"look!" pointed Elsa out when she saw the silver-haired woman appear, only to get dragged down by the pirate.

"Be quiet. We don't want to get noticed" said the pirate.

"I'm sorry… I've just never seen someone like me before…" said the Ice queen in awe as the woman waved her hand to cause a mini-castle to light up. "She looks friendly."

"Looks can be deceiving, love" spoke the pirate while trying to reach Emma with his phone. "What?" The pirate looked unbelievingly to his phone. "how comes she never answers whenever I use it?"

\---

 

As they all began to walk towards the exit of the cave, he noticed the queen walking next to him.

"Is this some kind of trick?" asked the queen coldly. She clearly didn't believe that Hans actually let Kristoff save her from being executed.

"What he said is true." Spoke Hans while keeping his gaze on the queen.

"Why?" Here it was.

"do you think I wanted to be here, your majesty? I was living in a farm in exile, where I had to shovel poop, but at least I was out of the castle, away from my prison cell. Suddenly my brothers dragged me back here. I wanted to be left alone, but did I have a choice? No."

"Stop your sobby backstory before I freeze your mouth, prince Hans. You didn't answer my question. Why?"

"In return for saving your life twice-"

"Once. That one time with the chandelier didn't count because it was with false intentions" interrupted Elsa. Hans chuckled.

"You honestly think I'm capable to run to a guy, point a moving crossbow and shatter a tiny icicle so that chandelier falls exactly on your head?"

Hans saw frost appear around the queen's feet and he knew he was testing her patience.

"Fine, fine… In return for saving your life, Once,… I want a ship."

The queen's eyebrow went up. "Excuse me?"

"Let me sail away from Arendelle. I give my word I won't cross your borders. I just want to get away."

It was quiet for a long time. by the time the queen answered, they had climbed out of the cave.

"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." The prince was stopped however when the queen's ice cold hand was planted on his chest, making him wince from the pain. "But one foot out of line and you will get the same treatment as your brothers."

\---

 

"We've waited long enough" said the pirate while standing up. If they stayed too long, they would get noticed one way or another… and Emma would so kill him if it brought him and Elsa into trouble. "We need to find Emma so she can-" The pirate suddenly felt his foot getting stuck and he looked down to see his feet inceased with Ice.

"I'm sorry" said the woman. "But I can't let you leave" She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. The Ice queen trembled when the woman's eyes bored into her's but she held stand.

"Let him go, now!" commanded the queen without letting her fear show to the woman.

"Not when we have so much cathing up to do. My sweet Elsa."

"cathing up? You know her?" demanded Hook while trying to get free.

"I've never seen her before." Said Elsa quietly.

"You've simply forgotten. The magic of the rock trolls, I'm afraid. They did quite a number on you."

"The rock trolls?" What did that woman know more? She knew her name, she had magic like her's, she knew the trolls… who was she? Elsa's mind was reeling with questions.

"Some memories are better left forgotten, my dear. Some are… too painful. Like the fact that it was your sister that put you in that urn."

"You are lying!" yelled Elsa angrily.

"am I? Look at those people, they were ready to burn you at the stake."

"Because you hurt one of them!"

"You have proof? Do you want to trade like a couple of fishwives?" mocked the woman, leaving the queen of Arendelle silent. "Of course you don't have any… and now…"

The woman raised her hand and icicles appeared above the pirates head, ready to impale him.

"NO!" Elsa raised her hands to stop the icicles from dropping down and for a few seconds, it did.

"You can't keep this up forever, my dear" said the woman casually. More and more Icicles began to go slowly down to the pirate's head. "When your friend is found, you will look responsible" Elsa's forehead became sweaty as she tried to keep the iciles up, feeling like Atlas who had to hold the heavens up. As the queen began to tire more and more, so did the icicles drop as well.

"Why…" Elsa had more and more difficulty breathing from the effort. "Why are you…. doing this?"

The woman tilted Elsa's head up to look her into the eyes. "For you my dear. All for you. You ruined my life, so I will ruin your's. Your family… OH," she chuckled at the memory. "Your parents' death was a delight to watch. How well I remember their last breath…" Elsa might have lashed out to the woman if she didn't have to keep those damn icicles up.

"Your family, your country, your friends… Everyone and everything you love will be taken from you, before I take your life away" whispered the woman in Elsa's ear. "But not before I let you suffer an agonizing death. There are many ways to let a body feel pain."

"Hey dairy queen!" yelled Emma.

The silver-haired woman looked up to the savior. "Ah. The valiant savior is here to save the day. Do you really think your magic is a match for me?"

Emma didn't waste any time to talk and blasted her away while David began to help Hook. The woman stood up again and the icicles dropped down with a simple wave of the hand, breaking through Elsa's magic like a knife went through butter. The queen of Arendelle fell down from exhaustion while Emma quickly blasted Hook and David out of the way of the icicles.

"You're okay?" asked Emma to the two men who nodded. The savior quickly turned her attention to Elsa and helped the young woman up.

"I'm fine" said the young dizzy queen. "Where is she?" Everyone looked around in the forest to see no trace of the mysterious woman. She had disappeared again in thin air.

\----

 

It was nightfall when they arrived back at the castle. Elsa ordered Kristoff to guard Hans, knowing the ice harvester was fully capable of handling him. Besides that, she didn't wanted any guards to watch him. The prince had a silver tongue and again, Kristoff wasn't easily swayed by the prince' honey-words. As she began to walk with Ingrid, as the woman called herself, her enthousiasm came out. Finally someone who understands me…

"Have you build a snowman yet?" asked she while they came inside her study room.

"Have you tried to build a castle?"

"Yes, you have to see it sometime" laughed Elsa, proud of herself to show Ingrid what she could do.

Ingrid however looked to the painting of the late queen and king of Arendelle and Elsa walked back up to her.

"It's my favorite painting of my parents. It feels like.. it gets my mothers smile just right" Normally the queen never talked about her parents. Not even to her sister. But she felt like she had a bond with this nice woman, a bond that even surpassed that of her sister. There were no secrets or walls between them…

"I agree." Said Ingrid while looking to the painting. The way Ingrid said it made Elsa aware that that she might have known her mother.

"You knew her?"

"Yes. She was my sister."

Elsa looked shocked to Ingrid as she tried to take in the news.

"I didn't wanted to overwhelm you.. I was waiting for the right moment" apologized Ingrid.

"Mother.. never told me she had a sister." Said Elsa confused to her lost aunt.

"I'm sure she was trying to spare you a painful history. But now… I cannot wait to see my beloved sister again… where is she?"

"Lost at sea" said the young queen. "I'm sorry."

"My poor darling girl… you must have been so lonely when she died."

"Its just me and my sister Anna….but now she's missing and I fear something happened to her."

"We'll find her. together. That's what family is for." Said Ingrid determined and she nodded firmly to the young girl who returned the gesture.

\----

 

The stench of the dead was in his mouth and nose as he stood on a wide battle field. It was winter, but somehow the snow didn't mask the smell of rotting flesh. Hans knelt by one of the soldiers to look at their sigil: a Crocus on a green-purple background…. Arendelle. And he recognized many more of them. Dunebroch. Camelot. Corona. The southern Isles. What had happened here? As he walked further he saw several wolves coming out, doing well on the fresh meat on the corpses. He let them do it. Better then let the corpses rot when spring comes again… If it ever came…

"Born of cold and winter air, and mountain rain combing… this icy force, both foul and fair…" Hans suddenly felt something wasn't right and his instincts led him up the hill.

"watch your step, let it go!" His breath stocked when he saw the scenery before him.

"beautiful, powerful, dangerous, cold…" In a blizzard of glass shards, the prince could make out thousands and thousands of citizens in a pool of blood. Children. Baby's. Old grandfathers. Women and men.

"Beware the frozen heart." The prince threw up and cried tears which froze directly on his cheeks. Suddenly he felt that he wasn't alone. The prince swirled around to see himself, swinging his sword into him.

Just when the sword was about to meet flesh, the prince jerked awake in bed. Good god… The prince fell back on his cushion while trying to keep his breath under control. Hans swallowed. What he had seen in the dream… he had many dreams the last few years. And very often, he saw the same thing happen the exact day he had dreamt it. Was this an Omen? A warning of some sort? The prince rubbed his eyes and stood up to get to the bathroom to splash some water in his heated face. When the tired prince looked up in the mirror he stared to his chest. What the… His hand went to touch the snowflake-shaped mark by his heart, feeling the cold radiating from it. Beware the frozen heart… Hans wasn't quickly afraid, but now he felt himself tremble like a little child.


	7. The Apprentice part 1

Neither Hans or Elsa slept that night very well and the next day both stood there with bags under their eyes.

"Didn't sleep well?" asked Elsa.

"No" said the prince while he was rubbing his head.. Those damn dreams became worse and worse everytime he slept in. "You neither, I see. Still thinking about that… snow queen?" It was the new name Emma had come up with.

"She was scary, Hans. She wanted to see me suffer… I guess its working." The queen still felt a chill over her body when she thought of her.

"Don't give her that satisfaction" said the prince, while he was working himself through a pile of papers just like Charming and Snow. "Let it rest for a while and lets look if we can find some clues about your sister."

\---

 

"Rumplestilstkin?" called Anna in the hall. "Are you here? The door was open."

"End of the hall, first one on the right. Come on in, dearie."

The red-haired princess entered and began to babble. "My name is June. I come for a-… Is something wrong with your skin?" asked Anna as she saw Rumple's face. "Not that there is anything wrong with your skin, its just-"

"You're name is not June." Said the Dark one while standing up and walking arround Anna. "You see, names are my stock in trade, Dearie. And yours is… Anna of Arendelle." Said Rumple with a smile. "There is no need to keep secrets from me.. I know more than you know."

"So… you know why I came here?"

"You want to know why your parents ventured into this strange land…" said the dark one theatrically.

"My sister thinks it was because of her, but I know she's wrong.."

"Your parents payed me a visit on their journey." Smiled Rumple. "It would seem, when one needs answers.. I'm the place to go!"

"What answers did they seek?" asked the red-head.

"Well.. I can't just tell ya" pointed Rumple out. "You see, besides names…I'm also good at making deals." Rumple waved his hand and a long scroll wrapped out.

"a Deal? Sure. I do whatever it takes to help my sister" said the princess innocently.

Rumple laughed. "Whatever it takes! I love when they say that!" Rumple waved his hand again and a small bottle appeared in his hand.

"On the foot of a dark mountain" began the dark one theatrically, while waving his hands arround. "lives a very old man. Prickly type. Probably eats children for breakfast. Now…" The dark one held the bottle up. "I want you to put this in his tea."

"What will that do to him?"

"Sorry dearie, that's not part of our agreement. Now…" Rumple placed the contract on the table. "sign here, and all your problems will dissappear! I shall then tell you why your parents came to seek me… Do we have a deal?" Rumple held out the pencil to Anna.

\---

 

Hans and Elsa were taking a break from searching all day looking through the papers and looked now to Emma who was ready to go on a date with Hook.

"How do I look?" asked Emma nervously.

"Amazing" said Charming smiling to his daughter.

"Is that just the corset? Where is the rest of it?" asked Elsa confused. That dress was very low cut… but then again, this was another realm with other manners…

"No, that's it" said Emma while turning arround to let the people in the room see her swirling dress.

"You're going on a very special date tonight" said Snow excitingly while taking a photo.

"Let's not oversell it" said the savior nervously while Elsa looked intrigued to the box with pictures.

A knock came from the door and Emma opened to see Hook standing before her. Right on time..

"You look stunning, Swan" said the pirate while taking in the beautiful woman. He held up a rose, causing everyone except Emma, to look shocked at the pirates second hand.

"uh, Emma?" said snow to draw attention to it.

"Ah, yes. The dark one kindly restored it. He really has changed" said Hook.

"What should I call you now, Captain hand?" joked Emma.

"Killian will be good"

"Okay.. Killian" blushed Emma excited about going out dinner.

"Your daughter will be in good hands" spoke the pirate before leading Emma out of the door.

"That's exactly what worries me. Especially now when you have two of them" answered the overprotective father.

"I can take care of myself" spoke the savior to avoid any more akward situations. Both she and Killian went outside to enjoy the night.

Elsa turned her attention back on the papers, but she felt her sight swimming after a long day of concentrating on it.

"You need a break as well." Said the prince while shutting the book down before the queen could protest.

"Hey! You can't just do that! Anna needs my help!"

"Anna would want you to be alert. You can't work like this. Some air will do you some good and get your head cleared" said the prince. "I treat at Granny's."

"Are you asking me on a 'Date', prince Hans?" asked the queen after she had learned what that strange word meant.

"Perhaps." Smiled the prince cocky.

The queen laughed, causing her blue eyes to sparkle. "I'll accept your gracious offer"

\---

 

After a short walk, Anna had arrived at the little cozy house. The man was friendly and the princess couuldn't honestly see how that man could eat children.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you wish" said the old man while cleaning the house. The young princess knelt by the fire and took out the little bottle Rumple had given her. Doubt began to nag aggain at her mind as she looked back to see the old man sweeping his house. She couldn't do this to him… Anna poured the bottle out in the fire, before standing up again to give her and the old man a cup of tea.

"Do you take sugar?"

\---

Meanwhile in Arendelle...

Where was that damn prince now?

Kristoff looked arround in the whole castle.

Nowwhere. God, if Elsa finds out… she would let him eat ice for a month. In the end he returned to the stables only to stop at the sight before him. The prince lay asleep on a pile of hay. Kristoff walked to the prince, angry that that traitor let him walk arround the whole castle.. and he just lay asleep at 10 o'clock in the morning? Kristoff just wanted to kick the man in the stomach when he noticed something peculiar. The prince lay with his eyes open and yet he didn't move as he was asleep.

"Hans?" Kristoff carefully shook the prince's shoulder. no response. He shook harder. "HANS!"

The prince blinked and he looked angrily to the man. "what is it mountain man? Can't i have a nice nap?"

"Your eyes stood open. For a moment i thought you were dead. Not that I minded." Spoke the ice harvester while standing again to feed Sven some carrots.

The prince shook off a few strays of hay, although he knew it wouldn't help much. "What do you mean, with my eyes open? I was asleep!"

"Well, they still stood open…." Said the Ice harvester. "They glowed as well." In any other time, the ice harvester might have laughed at the shocked prince's face.

"Excuse me?" sputtered the auburn-haired man.

"you heard me loud and clear"

Hans crossed his arms, clearly not amused by Kristoff's statement. "That's ridiculous. Sleeping with my eyes open.. ha!"

"Did you… have any dreams by any chance?" asked the ice harvester suddenly, when he began to think of something he saw before.

"Well.. everyone has dreams while they sleep" spoke the prince while frowning at the strange question.

"yes off course, but.. Do they feel real? Like… the things you dream, happen shortly after that?" the ice harvester saw the prince's body stiffen.

"How do you…?" whispered the prince.

"I… We.. the Sami… we have a few… who can do what you can." Stuttered the ice harvester, not comfortable with sharing his people's secrets. Another idea came up in Kristoff's mind. "Wait.. for how long have you had those dreams?"

"uh.." the prince rubbed his neck. "around 2 years ago, I believe."

Kristoff's eyes widened. "Come on, we have to see the queen"

\---

 

"Did you pour it in the tea?" asked Rumple to Anna.

"Yes. Every last drop" lied the princess to the dark one.

Rumple chuckled. "Good.. Good…. Then he will live."

"Now, I want to know why my parents-" Anna stopped when she realized what Rumple said. "wait, what? live?" she felt her body grow cold.

"He'll live because he drank the tea" re-enstated Rumple. "To cure him from the poison"

"I thought it WAS poison!" panicked the princess. "I.. I didn't give it to him!"

"oh.. but why not?" asked rumple dissappointed. "we had a deal."

"We need more antidote, we need to get back!" said the guilty feeling princess.

"I'm afraid it's much too late for that dearie.." Rumple waved his hand arround his globe and Anna watched how the man transformed into a mouse.

\---

 

"Didn't know you could actually pay…" said Elsa as she and Hans sat down to enjoy their meal.

"Well, as a sailor you always keep different cash with you." Said Hans. He had, after long searching, found some coins left from the enchanted forest, that Granny in the end accepted.

"You sailed?" asked the queen curiously.

"Yes. 5 years in the academy and after that, I quickly got promoted to Admiral."

"Most prince's wouldn't even bother to go into the military or the navy." Said the queen impressed.

"As the youngest, you don't have as much priveleges as the older ones… in the end, you are just a burden to them, as well as for the people who have to pay taxes. Since I became bored with sitting on stupid balls, I wanted to go out." The prince stared into the distance, smiling when he thought of sailing again on the seven seas.

"I've always wanted to sail too." Said Elsa while she sipped from her wine. "But, my father didn't think it was proper for a lady to walk in pants… and along with my Ice powers still out of control, I would probably freeze the whole ship…" The two babbled until Granny had to push them both out as it was past closing time. Still, the two royals laughed on their way to Charming's house while the stars blinked in the cold night.

"It was… a wonderful evening. Thank you for putting my mind off things." Said the queen while they went in.

Hans smiled. "It was my pleasure… Elsa" The two stood before their bedrooms, neither knowing what to say and they akwardly waved to one another before retiring to bed. Just when Elsa was about to doze in, she realized it was the first time Hans had said her name.

\---

 

Anna rushed into the small house, searching for the transformed man. "He's got to be somewhere"

"Careful you don't step on him dearie." Anna looked arround to see Rumple stand by the fire.

"We have to find him and change him back."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why?" asked the princess puzzled.

"He was protecting something that I needed."

"You… You poisoned him the day before!" realized Anna, causing Rumple to laugh. "So why did I have to come here if you wanted to turn him into a mouse?"

"Oh, it wasn't about him… it was all about you!"

"It was all a test?" asked Anna dumbfunded.

"Which you performed admirably…" Anna looked down, angry at herself that she let herself be fooled. AGAIN.

"what he protects, is protected by an enchantment." explained Rumple. "A spell that can be broken by someone who's been tempted by their inner darkness… and turned away. Someone just like you"

Anna frowned at the man's words. "I've never faced my inner darkness. I would never hurt someone to get what I want. I am, unlike you, NICE!" Anna smiled proudly to the dark one. Your plan has failed trickster. What are you gonna do now, huh?

"oh, well then dearie… I hope you enjoy the rest of your life in my tower!"

Anna looked puzzled to the dark one. What did he mean? Why should she stay with him?

"It was part of our deal" the dark one conjured up the contract she signed.

"But… i have to get back to Elsa!" begged the red-head.

"Then you shouldn't have left home" sneered Rumple. "Imagine the guilt she will feel if her little sweet sister never came home again from your journey. A journey you only took, because of her..." Rumple gasped in fake dissappointment. "Oh.. I fear the wedding's off…"

The angry princess ran for a nearby sword and took it out of its sheath. "NO! Rip up the contract, NOW!"

"Well, I can't do that dearie" said Rumple unimpressed by the princess' rage. "I'm afraid that the only way to escape is to kill me." As he talked, he walked closer and closer to the princess untill the sword was pricking in his chest. "And we all know… you're just too…nice"

Anna raised her sword, pressing it harder into the man's chest. "Do it" sissed Rumple.

"Come on… Do it." Anna's hand began to tremble and she walked backwards as Rumple pressed himself into her sword. "Do IT!"

Anna threw the sword on the ground while stumbling backwards. God… had she just thought to kill him?

Rumple walked to the crying princess. "You may never have thought to kill that man.. But you just thought about killing me, did you?" As Rumple held the dagger under the princess' cheek, a tear fell upon it. "And now I have exactly what I need. The love for your sister is strong…"

"I should have known. You're a monster" cried Anna to the deceiving man. "You turn love into a weapon!"

"Love is a weapon dearie…" laughed rumple as he opened the cellar with the dagger. "just so few know how to wield it."

\---

 

The two men rushed out of the way when a cold blast came out of the room. "Kristoff!" said Elsa shocked that she had almost frozen the man. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I speak with you for a moment? It's urgent" said the ice harvester to the queen who was practicing with Ingrid.

"I'll leave you to your business" spoke the snow queen politely before Elsa could object. When the snow queen stepped out of the room she saw Hans waiting there.

"Prince Hans…" nodded the snow queen with a sneer. The prince nodded back, while staring into her eyes without flinching. It was the snow queen who had to wend her eyes off from the prince' burning gaze and the prince smirked as the woman strode away. The prince satisfied face however transformed back into seriousness as he thought about the odd woman. He didn't like this one bit. Elsa was way too open with her, had the prince observed.

"You wanted to speak with me?" the prince was shaken out of his thoughts again. This shouldn't concern him. Soon he would be out of here, out on the seas...

"No, your grace." Spoke Hans to Elsa as he turned his attention back into reality. "But mister Bjorgmann wanted apparently me to be present too" They both walked back into the library where Kristoff was searching into several books.

"I didn't know you could read?" asked the queen while helping Kristoff to bring some books down from the high shelf.

"I don't need to for this…." Mumbled Kristoff while opening a worn out book. Hans folded his arms, curious as for why the Ice harvester was looking into a book.

"Can you tell me the reason why you have brought him here?" demanded the queen impatient while glancing to the traitor-prince.

"He has the Sight." Elsa's eyes widened at Kristoff's answer while the prince still didn't know what they were talking about.

"And now in norwegian?" asked the prince bored.

"The Sight is a rare gift" spoke the queen. In her years of isolation, the queen had read many books about magic, hoping to find a solution to her curse. "there are still a few, I've heard in the far North who have it…" When the queen looked to the blank face of Hans, she knew she had to explain further.

"those with the Sight can look into the past, the present and the future in their dreams" explained the queen while still looking at the prince as if he had grown a second head.

"Why are you looking to me like that?" The prince was getting annoyed by the two Ardellians.

"Because…" Elsa waved her hands up in desperation. "Hans, this gift is only passed by those from pure northern blood. That a… Southern foreigner like you can have that…"

"that's not the only thing" spoke Kristoff. "He had those dreams apparently for 2 years."

Hans was sure the queen's eyes would have fallen out at that point. "What now?" yelled the prince in annoyance. God, why are they so secretive! Just tell me already!

"How…" stuttered the queen. "You should have been dead by now! If you didn't learn to control them all those months ago… you would have died from migraine!"

The prince' eyebrows went up. "what do you mean, dead from migraine?"

"If someone with the Sight didn't learn from someone how to control when you Dream…" explained Kristoff "They would die from it."

"Well, I have no problem, so that's it then. Now, can I go now?"

"SIT DOWN!" boomed Elsa while Hans stood up. "You are going with Kristoff to the Far North to learn how to control it."

"with all respect, your highness, but this is ridiculous. I'm not someone with that… Sight." Said the prince repulsed, ignoring the queen's order. The prince stopped in his tracks when he felt his feet frozen to the ground. He glared to the queen. "Let me go"

"If you truly say not to have the Sight, you can prove it here and now." Said the queen calmly to Hans while releasing him. A book got shoven into the prince' direction and the prince looked puzzled to the two.

"How?"

"Just read it" said Kristoff while looking intensly to the auburn-haired man. The prince looked to the book and began to read. The language was a bit related to norwegian, but the prince had somehow no difficulty to decipher it. Just when he had spoken the last verse, Hans' eyes suddenly glowed a vibrant green.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Dun, dun, dun... Things will get faster from here on. This was just the quiet before the storm for everyone... What do you guys think of the Snow queen's plans? Please review!


	8. The Apprentice part 2

As he read the last verse, Prince Hans suddenly felt as if he had become weightless in his body. He couldn't see or smell and he began to panic when suddenly the world came back again. Hans looked arround to see himself back in the cave with his 3 frozen half-brothers.

"O god!" Hans turned arround to see his other brothers run to them and his eyes widened, expecting to die here and now, when they just passed through him like he was air.

"Ulrich?" called Hans while waving his hand before his brother. No response. Nobody saw him here…realized the young man as he saw his half-brothers scream in rage.

"That witch will pay for this!" yelled Jonathan. "She killed one of us, and bastard Hans has betrayed us once more!"

"calm down brother" said Thomas to the blonde man. "We will take their heads and put them on a spike. Our plan will continue as we have planned; we will go over the mountains."

"Hans will expect us to do that" said Ulrich.

"Yes, and while he tells the witch what he knows and changes tactics, we just stay with the original plan" said Thomas. "Double bluff."

The world dissappeared once again.

This time, Hans stood by a frozen lake with a beautiful woman laying beside it. She was bleeding through several wounds, making the ice as well as the water turn dark red. When he rushed to her to help her, his vision went black once more. No! Why couldn't he help her?

The snow transformed into a wooden floor, and he looked arround to see a young woman with a baby in her arms.

"Hallo Hans" The woman's green eyes bored into his. She could see him!

"How…"

The woman smiled warmly. "Those with the Sight can see each other when they Travel in their dreams"

"You… You have it too?" reeled the prince' mind quickly. "then you can teach me! Who are you?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you… But, I can give you my name. I'm Gerda." The prince felt the familiar pull-back once more. "Good luck, Hans"

"No, wait! I-"

The world turned again, and Hans saw a beam of light appear in the sky. After that, he watched as the town he saw before him get inceased in ice. Was there nothing he could do?

His vision went black again when the feathers of a crow passed into his vision. Hans blinked slowly to accommodate his eyes once again. "Hallo buddy" said the prince to the bird who now flattered to a tree nearby. "what are you doing here alone?" The bird flew off again. The prince ran after it to a strange hut and looked back to the crow. "you want me to go in there?" The crow crassed as if he wanted to confirm what the prince asked. "Alright…" After pushing away some pelts away, the prince stood into a cozy hut.

"Hallo young man. It was about time you showed up." The young prince looked into the direction of the voice to see an old woman smiling at him.

"You… expected me?" asked Hans carefully.

"Why yes off course! Being so out of control with your Sight gives us a bad name!"

"Who are you?" ignored the prince her question. Who knows how long he could stay here before he was pulled back again.

"So rude those youngsters these days…. I'm Lappekonen." Said the old woman while sitting opposite Hans. "And I believe my dear young man, that you need someone to teach you."

"Yes. You can do that?"

"I can. But you'll need to hurry, young man. There are dark forces at work and they are getting stronger. They will try to stop you from reaching me…"

The prince sighed when he heard the cryptic words.

"Look, I don't care for your gloomy pessimistic words old woman. Whatever 'Dark forces' you are talking about, it doesn't concern me."

Lappekonen just stared to Hans. "You are unwise to be so underestimating of your enemies, Prince Hans."

"How do you know my name?"

"There are ways to look into the heart. Not even the ice you bear can hide your soul."

"Ice? What are you talking-"

The pelts transformed back into paper when the prince turned back into reality. The prince' legs wobbled as he tried to regain his balance.

"are you okay?" asked Kristoff while holding the prince up.

"Thirsty…" rasped the prince. His throat felt like a desert. As Elsa called some servants to fetch some water and food, helped Kristoff the prince to a nearby coach.

"What did you see?"

Hans' mind reeled when he tried to puzzle back together everything he saw. "I saw a wounded woman by a frozen lake…It looked like she had been attacked or something…" The prince's brow knitted together in concentration and he began to wolf everything in his mouth when the servants brought him food and water. He was starving… probably a side-effect by using the Sight…

"I saw my brothers in the cave…They have found Franz, Jurgen and Frederick and are preparing to invade" It caused the queen to pale at the words. "They are planning to go over the mountains…" The prince stood up again to point to a nearby map. "by this route…" and he tapped the passage while Queen Elsa and Kristoff looked over his shoulder.

"Then there is no time to lose" said the queen after which she called a few of her guards.

"Yes, your highness?" asked the guards faithfully.

"Send ravens to the high lords. Tell them to call the banners"

The guards' eyes widened at the queen's words but obeyed without question, running off to the crow's nest.

"Ravens!" realized Hans when he remembered the bird. "That crow! He led me to this woman Lappekonen!"

"Lappekonen? Are you sure?" asked Kristoff.

"Yes! Lappekonen, that's what she called herself…"

Kristoff was quiet a long time. What he would do, if he agreed, would cause him to be an outcast for good.

" I know where she lives" decided the Sami to help the prince. And his finger pointed to the map. "I can bring you to her…"

"That's settled then." Said the queen about who the two men had forgotten for a moment. "You both will leave tomorrow."

Kristoff noticed that Hans was still not with his thoughts with them. "Hans? Something else you saw?"

"uhm? Oh… Nothing…" said the prince. He didn't find it necessary to share the visions of Gerda and the frozen town. He himself didn't know yet what it meant, and right now the queen had more pressing matters at hand.

"Not even the ice you bear can hide your soul" echoed Lappekonen's last words again in his head. What did she mean by that?

\----

 

Anna looked up when she saw Rumple come out of the cellar

"I have to know. Give me what you promised and tell me what my parents where after." Said the red-head as she stood up to face the dark one.

"Well dearie, The king and queen of Arendelle came to visit me with an itsie-bitsie problem. Your sister. They wanted something to take away her magic….forever" Anna flinched at Rumple's last words.

"My parents LOVED Elsa!" spoke Anna, not wanting to believe what he told her.

"More like… They feared her" answered Rumple. "Its a very thin line to cross…. You must have known. They always wished she had been born… Normal."

"Did they found what they were looking for?" asked the princess.

"No-one could lay hands on that kind of magic… until now" and with that said, waved Rumple with the box he took from the cellar.

"So… that's what the box does"

"Not the box… what's inside it. A hat which was crafted many centuries ago, to take away someone's magical power"

"What are you going to do with it?"

"When the hat is fully charged.. I will be unstoppable"

"I thought the dark one was already unstoppable" said Anna while lurking Rumple closer and closer to where she wanted him.

"There are limits. However small"

"No you can't. that apprentice.. that mouse… he dedicated his life to protect it from people like you!"

"Too bad he's not here to stop me" smiled the dark one.

"What if he is?" And Anna looked up, causing Rumple to do the exact same thing. Before he could react, the mouse came down from the wooden ceiling and bit Rumple's hand.

"AAAH!"

While Rumple shook the mouse off, Anna quickly took the dagger Rumple had dropped on the ground.

"Don't come any closer!" warned the princess. The dark one obliged and Anna frowned.

"Wait, you just do that because I told you to?"

"Yes" said Rumple angry when he felt the boundaries strain himself again. That girl will so regret it.

"Is that one of the limits you spoke about? As long as I have this dagger in my hand… You have to obey me!" realized the intelligent princess. "THAT's why you need the hat, to cleave yourself from the dagger…" When rumple didn't answer the princess yelled.

"Answer me!"

"To free myself from the dagger, yes!" said Rumple humiliated.

"Alright, I can't just let you walk away with that. Give me the box." Rumple obliged unwillingly to Anna's command.

"You can't keep hold of the dagger forever, dearie." Threatened the dark one.

"Then I command you, to send me, AND this box…" added Anna quickly. " back home."

When rumple wanted to wave his hand, the princess stopped him. "wait! And you have to transform the man back into a mouse. And.. you can't hurt me or my sister!" The princess sighed in relief when she had thought of everything. "Right… now I'm ready."

The dark one waved his hand, and Anna disappeared in a cloud of red smoke, causing the dagger to fall back on the ground.

 

\---

The next morning in Arendelle.

"Come on Sven, what's the matter with you. You love carrots." Said the Ice harvester to his reindeer friend. He and Hans were preparing the last things for their trip and right now, the prince was bathing himself in one of the servants rooms.

"Think maybe he missed me?" Kristoff turned around to see his smiling fiancé and he ran to her, bracing her in a hug.

"Not as much as I did." Said the Ice harvester while he saw Hans coming out of one of the castle doors. He saw the prince's eyes widen and the ice harvester quickly shifted his head. Go into the one of the stables! The prince got the hint and quickly hid himself from Anna.

"What's wrong?" asked the ice harvester quickly to keep Anna's attention with him. "I took a bath this morning"

"No, no, you smell wonderful" said a smiling Anna. However the laugh didn't reach her eyes. "My mission didn't go as planned"

"So they did leave because of Elsa."

"They wanted to take her magic away… with this" Anna showed the box to Kristoff.

"That's-"

"Horrible, terrible, and the world might just end right now?!" said Anna upset.

"I was going to say.. bad, but yeah, what you said. What are you going to tell her?" asked Kristoff.

"I.. I don't know" said the princess with tears in her eyes. "But… Kristoff, can you.. keep this between us for a while?"

The ice harvester swallowed. "Yes. Of course, feisty pants." His mind travelled back to last night.

"Kristoff, can you promise not to tell Anna anything about Hans being here or about the upcoming war? I want to find the right moment to tell her…" said the queen to her brother-in-law to be. 

"Yes, of course." Had he answered.

Now, he had agreed to lie to both women, and the honest man that Kristoff was, felt himself torn between the two. If this all came out, about the upcoming war with the Southern Isles, Hans… the real reason why Elsa's parents went out… The ice harvester knew it would test the sister's friendship even further.

\--------

For those who have read the "Snow Queen" from Hans Christian Andersen, you will already pick up some elements I threw in. Let me remind you: Hans' visions are set out of order. I promise the visions he saw will be explained later on, as well as how he came to have them. 

The fact that I'm focusing more on the "Frozen" characters then the the ones of OUAT, is because you know what happens to these characters on the show, and I don't want to waste time re-explaining the exact same thing. I want to focus on the changes and the characterization, rather then just retelling 3000 words with the exact scenes you saw already on the show. Anyway... please review!


	9. Breaking Glass part 1

"We can't just sit here reading files the whole day… again!" said Elsa frustrated as she hadn't found anything about her sister.

"We have to do something" agreed Hans who was getting impatient as well with their slow unsuccessful progress.

"Yes, but that snow queen… She's tricky. We have to be careful" spoke Emma while trying to keep both royals calm.

"Wars aren't won with overthinking things, Emma." Said the trained aspect of Hans. "Sometimes you just have to go into the offence and take risks if you want to win the battle. "

Emma sighed while pulling out another set of photos. "That may be so, Hans, but knowledge is just as crucial… we have to know what she wants…"

"You think she took mine and Hans' memories?" thought Elsa out loud.

"I believe so…" spoke Emma. "Again, the question is why."

"Paper work, ahoy!" said Hook who came in with another box of files. Hans groaned at the pile.

"I'm going to take Henry off sailing, love" said Hook after which he gave Emma a kiss on the cheek. "Goodbye"

The prince closed his eyes when another chill went through his body. Ever since he came here… His chest felt more and more heavy. Like he had no strength anymore in his body. At first he thought it was still an after-effect of the hypothermia a few days ago… But after seeing the snowflake-shaped mark on his chest, he was sure that wasn't the case.

"Emma?" asked the Ice queen to the blonde woman.

Hans snapped back into reality as he saw Emma and Elsa look at a picture.

"Its her… and me?!" said Emma while showing the picture to them.

"And you don't remember her as well? Nobody in the town knew she was here before?" asked Hans.

"Well, there is one, who could know about it… the one who had those photos taken." Said Emma. "we have to talk to Regina."

\---

 

"Please tell me you found her!" asked Regina desperate for a solution to Marion's curse.

"and which her would that be? Maid Marion? Snowwhite? Its so hard to keep track of her majesty's nemesis's.." said Sidney.

"I'm not in the mood for games Sidney! If I can't find a solution for Marion, I'll have to force the Snow queen to do it herself! I need to know where the Snow queen is hiding."

"Haven't come across the Snow queen yet" said Sidney.

"Then you have a new task! Find where she is. Or you will know what feeling sorry truly feels like"

"Yes…Your majesty" spoke Sidney while trying to hide his anger towards the Evil Queen.

\---

 

"Are you okay?" asked Elsa when she saw how nervous Emma was.

"Those pictures… when I first got here… Regina hated me. I mean… hating is a strong word… but we didn't exactly went along. It seems we are back on that same path…. Are you coming?"

"No, I feel that you should talk this out alone… Hans and I will wait here. You'll be able to fix it." smiled Elsa to the savior.

"I doubt it. Once you screw someone over, there is no turning back."

"What makes you say that?" asked the queen.

"Experience" answered Emma while she went out of the car.

\---

 

The Snow queen waved and flexed her hands while the ice molded and changed under her movements. It wasn't simple to craft it, but then again, she loved a challenge… her mind pondered again over Hans. She had squandered her chance in Arendelle to kill him and she gritted her teeth about her mistake. She had underestimated that boy enormously. Her face became calm once more. Well, it didn't matter anymore. He had delayed her, yes, but only a few nights. By the time everyone in Storybrooke realizes what she was planning to do, it would be too late already.

\----

 

"What do you know about this?" asked Emma after giving Regina the pictures. The evil queen sighed.

"Well, it appears you and the Snow queen are somehow friends"

"I have zero memories of that conversation" said Emma. "Sidney took these when you let me get followed by him…maybe he knows something"

"He never mentioned anything" said Regina while hoping that the savior would leave her alone.

"Have you seen him, lately?"

"I have been busy to save my true love's wife" snapped Regina. " the problem YOU created!"

"Are you…getting progress on thawing her out?" asked Emma after an akward silence.

"That's none of your concern"

"It could be" pressed Emma on. "I'm not sorceress of the year, but if you need some extra juice to thaw Marion…"

"Are you offering me help, Miss swan?" asked Regina not believing what she said.

"You have done a lot, Regina… I just want you to know that I got your back, just as you got mine"

Regina huffed. "Miss Swann, one thing is abundantly clear. You never had my back. And you never will."

\---

 

The sun had settled and both Hans and Elsa waited for Emma to come back with some answers. They had talked once again about what the Snow queen's motives could be, or how they came into this strange realm. But most theories they had come up with were the same ones they had thought about over and over again and soon the conversations went silent.

Hans looked out the window, pondering about the dream he had last night....

-

He stood in the eye of the storm along with an incomplete Mirror. It glowed unearthly bright and Hans averted his eyes. "Hans!" A few meters away from the Mirror was Elsa, chained by iron shackles. "Help me!" cried the queen. A laugh seemed to come out of nowhere and when he tried to run to the queen, he felt his feet freeze to the ground. 

"Elsa!"

ZSSSSH! Hans saw the Mirror repair itself as the last piece fell into place. At the same time fell the queen to the ground. 

"No!"

The prince felt his feet come loose and he sprinted to the young woman, only to be in time to see her draw her last breath. As he watched her life slip away, her white braid turned dark brown.

-

Hans stared from the backseat of the car to the queen. How long until the dream happened? Days? Months? Years? He swallowed heavily, causing him again to become aware of his difficulty to breathe and his hand went back up to his chest. And how long had he, until the cold became too much for his body?

"Hans!"

"what are you doing?" asked the prince confused when Elsa went out of the car.

"I think I saw Anna!" said the queen relieved.

The prince frowned. "I don't see her, Elsa, perhaps its just-"

"Elsa! Help me!" the prince' eyes widened when he too saw Anna's silhouette. Both royals took off into a sprint.

\---

 

"My queen. I have news." Spoke Sidney. "I have found the Snow queen's liar"

"Where is it?"

"I think a quit pro quo is in order here" said the man in the mirror. "I'm growing tired of this glass prison."

"Let's see if your info meets the results" spoke Regina unwilling to let him out yet. "Then, we will discuss your freedom."

"You think I will give up my leverage so willingly?" laughed the mirror. "I will lead you to her, and you'll need to listen"

\--

 

Elsa ran behind the prince, clearly not used to run such long distances. The queen blinked, trying to keep her eyes from becoming dry and doubled her efforts to keep up with the auburn-haired man.

"Elsa!" called Anna again.

"This way!" said Hans while changing directions, without even slowing his quick run. "WOAH!" The prince went so fast he hadn't seen the ice spot before him and he felt his feet lose grip on the ground.

"Hans! Watch out!" The warning of the queen came too late as the prince skidded from a cliff. The queen rushed to the abyss and looked carefully over the hedge. "are you okay?"

"hunngg… I'm…..fine!" yelled the prince as he held on to the rocks. "Keep going! Don't worry about me!"

When Elsa hesitated the prince tried to convince her once more. "Get to Anna! Before the Snow queen does!"

That did the trick to convince the worried sibling. Elsa waved her hands and her magic blasted over the abyss, creating a staircase. She glanced one more time to Hans, who was now climbing back up, before the young queen focused again on saving her sister.

\--

"Which way?"

"Right" said Regina, not wanting to waste any more words to Emma.

By coincidence, both woman had met up in the forest when Emma was trying to search for Elsa. Since Emma wanted them both to stick together, Regina couldn't bring much against it. It wasn't like she could have persuaded the stubborn savior otherwise to let her alone.

"I think… its admirable what you are doing" said Emma. "you try to save the woman of the man you love"

Regina stopped in her tracks when her last bit of patience went away. She turned around to face the blonde woman.

"So I impressed you? That makes it all worthwhile now, does it?"

"Why are you doing like that? I'm just trying to give you credit" said a confused Emma. What did I say wrong now? "I'm just trying to be nice."

"And then what? Complimenting my outfits, braiding my hair?" Emma said nothing as the woman went on. "you are trying to win me over! So I can take over your guilt for what YOU have done. Intentionally or not, miss Swan, you brought Marion back. You ruined my life and there is no coming back from that." With that said, the Evil Queen stormed off.

\---

"Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry I couldn't find you earlier!" said the relieved queen when she took her sibling in her arms.

"Anna?" Elsa frowned when she didn't feel her sister move underneath her. She felt… stiff, and way too cold. The suspicious queen went back a step back to look at her sibling more clearly. When she touched her again, the spell wore off, to reveal an almost exact replica of her sister in Ice. Who would… that Snow queen! Thought the queen angrily when she realized the trap. the Snow queen must have done that, to separate me from Emma and Hans….. 

A bone-chilling scream echoed through the quiet forest.


	10. Breaking Glass part 2

Hans crawled away from the abyss while trying to catch his breath from the difficult climb. I made it... The prince lay on the dirty ground, not caring if his clothes or hair got messy from the mud and branches. He stood back up and began to run over the staircase, but more carefully this time. Well, it appears no snow monster is here to push me over the hedge... smiled Hans as he remembered the battle on the ice palace.

"Elsa!"

Now, where was she? that witch couldn't have gone far... Although Hans still called the Ice queen like that in his mind, it didn't had the same hateful ring to it. It had changed to a more amusing nickname in his thoughts.

"Elsa!"

The prince ran a few meters further before rubbing his neck, a bad habbit he couldn't get rid of.

"Careful dear." The prince spun arround to see the Snow queen before him and he quickly drew his dagger. "We don't want the little queen come to your rescue."

The prince groaned in pain when ice shackles prevented him from doing anything. the cold was so harsh it caused his hands to become stiff and he dropped his weapon to the ground.

"Why are you doing this?" grunted the prince as his shackles became shorter, forcing him on his knees.

"Look at you..." whispered the Snow queen. "So much anger and hate... Imagine what you could do if you only learned to control it... You had a chance to do so once, but.. you squandered it. fortunately. for me."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

The Snow queen knelt before the prince. "Ah, yes. you don't know." she chuckled softly. "Well, I guess I owe you an explaination." the woman traced her fingers across Hans' jaw. "Do you know the legend of the Troll Mirror, young prince?"

"Of course I do." said the prince confused.

"Then you remember how the Mirror broke... "

Suddenly the Snow queen's hand went through the man's chest, causing him to scream in pain.

"And how everyone who got such a shard in his eye or heart, became just as cold" The hand of the Snow queen retreated slowly and the prince' watery eyes could vaguely make out that she held something in her hand. When he blinked again to make his sight clearer he saw a small glowing glass shard. He looked again to the Snow queen's angry eyes.

"And yet, when I commanded you to kill that pathetic redhead and that miserable queen, you still resisted it..."

The prince grimaced when the Snow queen's finger went across his face, causing it to become white with frost.

"But as for now, your usefulness has come to an end, young prince." The hand of the Snow queen began to glow white and the prince screamed again when the cold struck his heart. It was slow, unlike the strike that Anna had to endure because of her sibling, but also a lot more agonizing.

"Leave him alone!" With a loud blast the Snow queen got thrown back, and the exhausted prince fell on the ground, vaguely seeing the Snow queen dissappear in a cloud of snowflakes.

"Hans!" Two warm hands took hold of him and he blinked to see a worried Elsa staring at him. With a flick of her hand, the queen released the prince from the shackles.

"I'm fine..." spoke the prince as he sat back up. he looked to his chest and saw that the snowflake-mark had dissappeared. "I'm fine, really, I-"

it was as if a hammer had hit his head. The memories from the past 2 years came back, all at once, and more clearer than he had ever remembered before.

"If only there was someone who loved you..."

"Elsa was preferable of course.."

"With a heavy heart, I charge queen Elsa with treason... and sentence her to die."

"your sister is dead because of you!"

He was in prison again, where he killed one of his guards with his belt. The marks on his back began to tintle again when he remembered the lashes he received after that. More Memories came flooding back, each insult, each punch and each kill he had made, came down, smacking him in his face. It was as if now he fully realized what he had done.

"Hans!" The queen shook the prince' shoulder trying to get him to snap out of his silence. It seemed to work as Hans' lip began to tremble. But to the queen's shock Hans suddenly began to cry.

\---

"Looks like Elsa was here" said Emma as she noticed the icy staircase.

"Thanks miss Swan, please continue to say the Obvious" said Regina while she began to walk on the staircase.

"wait, we don't know if its safe..." Emma sighed when Regina ignored her. "I don't know why I even bother."

"Hurry up, I want to reach that Snow queen before it's actually winter!" spoke Regina impatiently to the savior. It was only after a few steps that the two women got knocked over by a strong wind.

"is that your blue sparkling girlfriend?!" yelled Regina to Emma.

"No! That's not Elsa! Its the snow queen! she found us!"

"Sidney..." whispered Regina.

"Sidney? what has he to do with this?" asked Emma. Her eyes widened when she saw Regina take out the mirror. "you lied to me! you said you didn't know where Sidney was!"

"Maybe I lied so what? I don't have to tell you everything!" spoke Regina before she opened her mirror.

"Nor do I"

"You led us here! you are working for the snow queen?! TRAITOR!" yelled the Evil queen.

"I'M the traitor? I think your majesty should look into the mirror" spoke Sidney. "And as for the Snow queen, know that she has a present for you that I believe, is quite deserved" With that, the man dissappeared once again.

"SIDNEEEEY!" Without any answer, slid Regina her mirror back into her pocket.

"Regina!"

"Spare me your judgement!" said Regina, not noticing that the staircase began to crumble.

"Regina, look!"

Now the Evil queen looked, and both woman began to run over the crumbling staircase, only making it just in take on the other side.

"Are you okay?... Regina?" asked Emma when the Evil queen didn't answer.

"I think we have a bigger problem" pointed Regina to the large snowmonster blocking their way.

\--

 

"What have I done?!" screamed the prince as he shook the arms of the queen away from him.

"Hans, calm down, everything-" Elsa stopped talking when she saw the frost arround the prince dissappear. the area suddenly turned vibrantly green and lively once again. And... warm... Elsa looked in shock to the young man.

"Hans, you need to calm down!" yelled Elsa as she saw the forest become overgrown.

"Elsa, what I've done... How can I stay calm?!" yelled the prince back, "I killed people, I-I..."

"Hans, you need to stop panicking! Look arround you!"

The prince only now noticed what happened arround him. Right. stay calm. stay calm. conceal don't feel... the prince closed his eyes and began to focus on his breathing. the trick seemed to work and the forest stopped becoming overgrown.

SLAP! the prince rubbed the red mark the queen left on his face.

"Ahw! what was that for?!"

The queen didn't know what to think as multiple emotions ran through her. "you... you... agh! I always thought I was alone, and now, suddenly after 13 years, I meet two people in three days time who apparently have magic?! Why did you never tell me this!"

"I didn't know I had these until two seconds ago!" said the prince while waving his hands, causing more forest bushes to grow. He winced at the sight of it and clenched his fists.

"How's that possible?"

The prince thought back to the shard the snow queen had taken out of him. "that shard! the snow queen took a shard out of my chest before you came!"

"A shard?"

"Yes, she said something about the Troll mirror..." the prince's eyes widened again when he thought of it.

"the Mirror that can change someone in their worst selves?" asked Elsa. "Hans, thats ridiculous, its a fairy tale..." The queen felt her bones tremble. If it exists...O god, that cannot be true!

"that's why she's here..." whispered Hans. "she's been searching for all the missing pieces... she wants to put it back together again..."

\---

Regina made fireball and threw it to the viking-like monster. It stumbled back for a moment before regaining its balance. Another blast from the savior made him crash into a tree nearby and lose a part of his arm. Just as the two woman were content it was going to work, the arm repaired itself magically.

"That's a problem" commented Emma as she ran back to Regina.

"Not helpful"

"Let's try again, together"

Regina nodded and both women focused their magic on the monster. This time it seemed to work, and soon the monster was nothing more then a little puddle on the ground.

"I think we did it" commented Emma a bit out of breath.

"What a welcome visit, ladies" spoke a soft voice. Regina and Emma looked to their left and saw the snow queen standing there.

"Thank you, for bringing me what I needed" Regina's mirror flew out of her pocket, into the silver-haired woman's hand.

"Give me back my mirror, you-"

"No." The snow queen smothered the Evil queen's reply by taking away her air supply.

"Hey, stop, don't-" Emma's hand went up to her neck as an instinctive reaction to the sudden air loss. Second by second, both felt their air supply lessen more and more. Just as they were to pass out, an ice blast knocked the Ice queen over.

"Are you ready for a second round, witch?" yelled an angry queen of Arendelle while snowflakes began to swirl arround her. Hans had arrived too and began to check on the almost unconcious woman. With blinding speed the Snow queen stood up again with burning blue eyes and their magic crashed together in light blue and white. However it was clear that Elsa couldn't keep it up that long against the more experienced ice sorceress who was quicker and preciser in her attacks. As she was about to attack again, the snow queen suddenly stumbled when the ground moved.

"That's a handy trick" said the prince amused with his hand still raised.

"Lets just finish this now" spoke Regina.

"No need. I have what I want" Four blasts hit nothing as the snow queen dissappeared once more.

"Are you both okay?" asked Elsa.

"We are now, thank you. Since when did you have magic?!" asked Emma to the prince who's hands still glowed.

"Since two minutes ago" the prince rubbed his hands against his clothes to stop the annoying glow. He stopped however when the Sparks multiplied.

"We need to let Gold look at this..." Emma turned her attention back to Regina. "Why didn't you tell me about Sidney?!"

"Because despite what you wish, we're not partners!" said Regina while waving her hands arround in annoyance. "I didn't ask you to tag along!"

"Well, I did and If you had told me you could have saved us a lot of trouble!" retorted the savior.

"Stop this please! you need to mend your differences otherwise Storybrooke might not stand a chance!" tried Elsa to stop both women to get into a fight again. The queen however had her hands full. literally as she had to stop Hans using his magic. "Here" The queen put her hands in that of the prince's and conjured some ice arround it. The ice seemed to stop Hans' magic. Like a late winter stopped the spring.

"It won't. For one simple reason. I don't care." said Regina before dissappearing in a purple cloud of smoke.

\---

The snow queen re-appeared again in her liar and screamed in rage, causing a wild storm inside the cave. she had been SO close! SO close at killing the boy! And now he knew what he could do... The snow queen paced arround, trying to calm herself. It wasn't over. not yet. The boy still had to learn. He still was overconfident. If she could crush that... The snow queen's hand clenched together in a fist, to feel suddenly a sharp pain. She opened her fist again and looked to the two shards she had collected. No. It wasn't over at all. But First... The Snow queen freed Sidney as she had promised.

"You are free."

"Thank you, my queen. Now, what shall I do next?"

"I wish nothing from you" said the woman coldly without even looking at the man.

"But I thought..."

"It wasn't you I wanted Sidney. It was the mirror itself" The Snow queen sat back on her self-made throne while still observing the small mirror in her hand.

"You have plenty mirrors..." asked Sidney confused.

"I have many." smiled the woman. "Hundreds. Thousands, even. But none as important as this one."

"My queen... what are you planning?" Sidney trembled as the snow queen's eyes glared to him.

"You have done me a great service today. Don't outrun your short hospitality here... For what I'm planning is none of your concern."

"But-"

"Speak one more word out of line, Genie, and I'll have found a new decoration in my palace." The snow queen waved her hand and the door rumbled open. "Don't waste your freedom with your lose tongue." The genie bowed before the Sorceress before dissappearing quickly.

The snow queen turned her attention again to the two shards - The one she had collected from Hans, and Regina's Mirror. "So close..." whispered the snow queen as she looked to the huge Mirror before her. "Soon I will have what I want." She stretched her hands and the pieces flew into the Mirror like Magnets. After centuries of searching and roaming the world, the Mirror was complete once again. "The time for eternal Frost will come..."

\---

"Gold?!" yelled Emma as she, Elsa and Hans entered the shop. "Gold are you here?"

"No need to shout, Dearie... what's the problem?" said Gold who came out of the shadows.

"Hans has magic." said Elsa this time. "We don't know how, but suddenly he could make things bloom... Like its the opposite of mine..."

"Really?" Gold took hold of Hans' hand and when the two men touched, pollen began to swirl on the Prince's palm. Gold let go of him again and let the prince talk.

"Yes. It was after the Snow queen took this shard out of my chest, that-"

"Hold on" interupted Gold. "what shard?" Hans and Elsa quickly explained the legend of the Troll Mirror, and how that seemed what the snow queen was after.

"And you had it... how long inside you?" said Gold unbelievingly.

"arround two years, if what the snow queen says is true. She says... she had commanded me to kill Anna and Elsa when the Big Freeze took place..." The uncomfort was even more clear now. "But I... I don't remember anything of that! I mean, I remember now what really happened, but at that time... I was so angry" Hans quickly looked to Elsa. "Not that... I wanted to kill you and Anna, I mean, I had the urge, but... I thought if just left your sister... and... I tried to talk to you... But, you were already out. Anna told me you had frozen her heart... "

"Hans! Hans! Its okay, I believe you!" stopped Elsa the prince from stuttering on.

"Two years?" spoke Gold softly.

"Yes, He has been saying that for the third time now." snapped Emma.

"I think I have a theory about why your magic suddenly seems to come out..." thought Gold out loud. "You see, Magic is a part of the wielder, like a sixth sense you always keep with you. However, when you neglect that part, it will try to resist. It will fight to come out, to be shown again. Think of it like a bottle of wine. The more you try to keep the cork in, the more difficult it will become to keep it in."

"Sooo... what does it have to do with me?" asked Hans confused.

"Emma told me you slept often with your eyes open" Hans turned his head to the savior when he heard Gold say her name. "And she also heard from Elsa you had strange dreams?"

"We were just worried Hans" spoke Elsa defensive when the prince looked accusatory back to the queen.

"Anyway... I believe that your magic tried to protect your mind against the shard's evil influences. Off course at the time it came into your heart, you weren't that strong enough to resist all of it. Over time however, your magic began to learn, to develop and began to prevent you from becoming afflicted completely."

You talk as if its alive." asked Elsa softly.

"In a way it is, dearie."

"But... It began to affect me..." Hans showed his chest where there was still a red mark present from the snow queen's harsh treatment. "I began to have cold and a snowflake-mark began to appear arround my heart. Its gone now, but how goes that up with your theory?"

"If thats the case... The Mirror must have become stronger too as the Snow queen is reconstructing it. The more she repairs it, the more violent and cruel the cursed people get." answered Gold worried.

"But its gone now for good with Hans" spoke Emma trying to be sure.

"Fit as a fiddle, Dearie. Its never going to bother him again."

The savior and the two royals went outside and walked back home. They could barely stand from exhaustion as they finally reached their destination. Emma went upstairs while Hans and Elsa went to their gast rooms. Hans was so tired he slept the minute he fell on the pillow.

"AAAAAAAAH" The prince shot out off his bed when he heard Elsa scream in her bedroom and he opened the door, afraid to see something terrible.

"Elsa?!" Hans saw the queen turning her head arround with her eyes closed. she was dreaming..

"NO! STAY AWAY! DON'T HURT HIM!" the prince rushed to the queen and began to shake her.

"Elsa, WAKE UP!" barked the prince. the queen's eyes snapped open, but they were still unfocused.

"no, no, please, no!"

"Elsa, It's alright!" shushed Hans while holding her face. "Its alright! I'm here! I'm here..." The queen began to calm down again by Hans' words.

"Hans.. God... I'm so sorry..." the queen trembled still from the terrible nightmare.

"Everything alright?" Hans looked to the door where Emma, Snow, Charming and Henry stood. They had all woken up by Elsa's screaming.

"Yeah, she's fine" said Hans. "Just a nightmare" The group retired back to their warm beds, leaving the prince and queen alone. Elsa gratefully accepted a cup of water Hans had poured for her and sipped from it. as she put it back on the table, she sighed. "God, I'm so sorry for waking all of you..."

"Don't mention it." said Hans while he was standing up again to leave the queen so she could sleep. "Wait!" The prince felt Elsa's hand on his arm again.

"Will you... sleep with me?" blushed Elsa while the prince' eyes widened. "NO! I don't mean.. not in that way!" The queen's cheeks burned even redder in embarassement as the prince sighed in relief.

"Ah. well..." the prince swallowed. what do you say to that?

"Its just..." She looked a lot more like a scared little girl then a bold queen at this moment. "I thought I lost you again..."

"The dream... It was about me wasn't it? what did you see?" asked Hans softly while sitting back next to her.

"I saw you getting tortured by the Snow queen" shuddered Elsa. "you know, back when you were shackled by her...And... the snow queen... she...she cut a ice spike in your chest... multiple times...I tried to save you but I was too late... " The queen burried her face back into the prince' chest. "Can you stay? please?" begged the queen with tears in her eyes. The prince nodded and he went with Elsa under the blanket while the queen snuggled close to him, sighing contently. Soon, their combined body warmth made both of them fall asleep. Neither had disturbing dreams the rest of the night.

\------------------------------------------------  
So... a stressful night for our heroes wasn't it? And the Snow queen has completed the Mirror...What do you think about the snow queen's grudge against Elsa and Hans? You will have to wait and see... please review!


	11. Family Business part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains some very disturbing violent scenes.

Arendelle, 1845

The wind had begun to pick up as both men went further and further North. Hans sighed relieved by the warm cloak he had been given, as it kept out more cold then his grey coat.

"You okay?" asked Kristoff, knowing that the foreigner wouldn't be used to the harsh temperatures.

"I'm fine. I had worse" commented Hans while Kristoff led Sven through the more thinner and thinner trees. "I don't understand why the queen let me go alone with you. For all she knows, I could slit your throat the next night."

The bulky Ice harvester glanced to the foreign prince. "You won't get the chance to. We stop at multiple cottages, and they know about us coming there. If they don't hear or see anything about us in the forthnight, they will send ravens to the queen."

Hans smirked. "Good. she isn't that dumb as I thought she would be."

It was silent for a moment before Kristoff asked a burning question to the prince. "Why were you glad that Anna was 'gone'?"

The prince looked confused to the Sami by the odd question. "You told me that in the cave" explained Kristoff while turning Sven to the right.

"Ah, well... Let's just say my...brothers have another way of treating their women" said Hans casually while hesitating on the word 'brothers'. It didn't go unnoticed by the Sami, who raising his eyebrow at the strange hesitation."If they laid their hands on Anna..." The prince's eyes flashed in anger at the last sentence. Yet The Sami had the feeling it wasn't exactly about Anna he was thinking about. THe anger was about someone else.

"Who was she?" asked Kristoff softly causing the prince the look up.

"Excuse me?"

"Who was it they laid their hands on?" Kristoff saw the prince's eyes darken.

"Let me be very clear, Mountain man. Spies or not, If you ask me one more time such a personal question, You end up with a dagger through your chest."

"You don't have any weapons with you".

"Do you want to take that chance?" spoke Hans dangerously calm.

"Without me, you don't get to Lappekonen. and without her, you will die." spoke the Ice harvester. "the headaches have gotten worse since we began our trip isn't it? I have seen you trying to hide your pain."

Hans gritted his teeth at the man's comment. " You think I freaking care about all of this?! All I wanted was a ship to get away. Yet you drag me arround like some trophy, hoping you can gain my trust. well guess what mountain man; I don't like you" pointed the prince with his finger to the blonde man. "And I never will. I see through your and the queen's facade. trying to be 'understanding', and 'kind'... " mocked the prince. "There is a reason behind it all."

"There isn't always a reason behind being kind to someone" spoke Kristoff. Hans' eyebrow went up.

"Oh yeah? then why does the queen spare my life after I tried to commit regicide? Because I'm suddenly someone who has some kind of 'magic'?"

"Yes"

The prince didn't expect that answer and looked confused to the Ice harvester. "What?!"

"In a way, I believe she does spare you because you're special, Hans. She never met anyone before in her 13 years of isolation who's just like her. Suddenly she meets two people in one day who can somehow relate to what she feels. Its a huge shock for her. She wants... she doesn't want you to feel just as isolated as she did. She wants to help you get control over it, Like she learned from Anna, and is learning now from Ingrid." The ice harvester paused. "she truly wants to help you, Hans. I want to help too, if you give me the chance."

Kristoff stopped Sven by a small cottage and began to unload their materials. The prince helped the man, as he didn't want to stay any longer outside. It began to become dark soon, and the prince knew like everyone that they didn't have much time for getting everything ready for the night. After a half hour, their sleeping place was ready and the prince stretched himself on the bed. He was going to dream again. He knew it now. Being aware of this... Sight, as well as going further and further North, seemed to strengthen that strange ability. Although he didn't want to, the prince fell asleep, exhausted from the long trip.

\---

Storybrooke, Present day.

Emma immediately called everyone together the next morning. "We know what the Snow queen is planning now. She took Regina's mirror and a shard out of Hans' chest last night, and we believe she wants to complete the Troll Mirror. If she hasn't succeeded already."

"That means we have to act quickly" spoke Charming this time. "We have to take the fight to her, and camp out every inch of the forest. There wasn't anything in her house, nor in her ice cream shop. she must have cleared out everything before hand."

"Which means she's hiding something" said Hook, causing everyone to murmur in agreement.

"What about her ice cream truck?" asked Henry. Everyone looked to the little kid.

"The snow queen has an ice cream truck?" said Emma to her son.

"Well, isn't that ironic. Ice cream made by an ice queen" laughed Hans softly in Elsa's ear. the queen smiled when she heard his comment.

"I'm a kid, I know these things."

"Alright. Hook, you Regina and Emma take the West. Gold, You are coming with me North-"

"You all know I work best alone" interrupted Gold.

"No time to argue with that" said David while refocusing back on the task. "Hans you are coming with me then for the east." The prince nodded in agreement.

"Belle, how is your tracking about the snow queen? did you find anything new?" asked Charming to the black-haired girl.

"I'm afraid not. But I'm going to the library. its the last place where there hasn't been searched yet about the Snow queen or the Mirror."

"I'm coming with you, Belle" spoke the queen of Arendelle while everyone else walked outside to search in the woods. "perhaps there is something about Anna too." Belle looked taken back by Elsa's comment. Elsa noticed this. "Unless you'd rather have not the company?"

"No, of course not. I would love some." answered Belle politely.

\---

"Elsa?" The queen looked up from the glowing snowflake in her hand and saw her sister entering the study room.

"Anna!" Elsa ran to her sister and embraced her sibling. "I'm so happy to see you again!" The queen forgot her worries for a minute about the upcoming war and the preparations for it.

"I'm afraid you are stuck with me!" smiled the red-head while Elsa took hold of her arm.

"I know you had to, to try to make me feel better..." Both siblings began to walk arround the room. "So what did you learn? do you know why our parents went to the enchanted forest?" Elsa saw her sibling hesitating to answer. "What is it Anna? you can tell me anything."

"Nothing..." evaded Anna the question. "I'm still waiting from some answers from a few people I met, but that could take a while, a long while... So, how has it been here? No coupe d'états from Hans or the duke I hope?" joked the young princess to avoid being asked further about her parents.

"No, no of course not!" smiled Elsa. "Everything is going great!" The queen had learned for years by her father how to not to show her true emotions . The conversation died out a bit and Anna began to look arround. I promise I'll tell you everything Anna. You are too happy now to ruin this with such bad news...

"Wait... no frost on the windows?" asked a puzzled Anna. "Usually when we talk about our parents, it ends up with the chill in the air."

"I have been learning to control my powers when I get upset" smiled Elsa proudly.

"Really, how?"

"By training with me" spoke a female voice, which caused Anna to turn arround.

"Who's that?" flapped Anna out. "I mean... Who are you? I...uh..." Anna smiled akwardly to the strange woman. "Hi".

"She's... our aunt" explained Elsa to her sibling.

"Our what?"

"Your aunt." smiled Ingrid to the girl. "I'm Ingrid. Your mother and I were sisters."

"But...our mother doesn't have a sister" spoke Anna confused. "at least she never told us about one..."

"I'm sure she was trying to spare you a very painful history. You see many years ago I was...trapped by an urn by people who didn't exactly understand me." explained Ingrid.

"Didn't understand you?" Anna avoided the woman's eyes. Despite being friendly to her, she felt that her kindness was a bit too forced, a bit too happy to be true.

The woman gestured with her hand and a snowflake appeared. "Our gift runs in the family."

 

Later in the stables Anna began to talk to her horse Kjekk. "I'm telling you Kjekk, that woman is up to something." It was a habit she had taken over from Kristoff. At first it was weird, talking to an animal, but she understood now why Kristoff did it. The animal seemed to calm you down when you were aggrivated or sad. Anna looked to her horse intelligent eyes. Yeah, and what makes you think that? seemed the eyes to ask.

"because its weird having her here." spoke the girl while pacing arround. "I want to make sure we are asking all the right questions. Like, is she really my aunt? or is she some imposter, trying to wurm her way into my family?"

The resemblance is rather striking between the two...

"That may be so, but if she's really my aunt... why isn't she in the royal records, the family portraits?" reasoned the girl. "There has to be an explaination for all that."

And how are you going to find out?

"Kristoff's family can help. They can tell me if she's lying or not."

her Horse whinnied. Gran pabbie is still dissappointed you posponed the wedding.

Anna smiled. "I can handle gran pabbie... with Kristoff is going ice harvesting.. I have to find someone else to cover me while I'm gone... to keep Elsa busy..." The girl saw very concidentally Helga pass by, an old kind servant who had helped her and Elsa in those two years after their parents had died. "Helga!"

The old lady turned arround. "Anna! You're back!" the two woman embraced warmly. "You aren't sea sick are you? you look a bit pale.. why don't you come inside for a cup of tea?"

"I'm very sorry Helga, perhaps later. For now, I have to go take care of something first. Can you keep Elsa busy for a couple of hours?"

the old woman looked concerned to the princess. "What are you planning Anna? It sounds serious."

"I..." the princess sighed. she had to tell somebody, to get it off her chest. Normally she would have talked about this with Kristoff, but the old woman was someone she knew she could trust. she practically saw her and Elsa as her own children.

"My parents..." the princess swallowed. "They wanted to go to Misthaven to take away her magic, the thing that makes her special..." the princess sniffed. "I don't know how to say it to her... this will break her heart."

"O sweetie..." the old woman wiped the princess' tears away with her fingers. "She will understand that. she won't be angry at you... But you have to tell her as soon as possible. If someone else hears about this and tells her before you do... she will be sad because you hid it from her..."

"Yeah. you're right. I have to tell her." smiled Anna through her tears. "I will as soon as I return. Thank you for listening Helga"

"Think nothing of it my dear." as the princess walked back into the stables to prepare her journey to the trolls and Helga went back to her duties, neither noticed the snow queen earshopping on them both in the shadows.

\---

"Hans!" yelled a girl happily when the young man come from the docks. Thanks to the long sea voyage, the man had gained a small beard. The two ran inside a small alley before embracing each other. The girl giggled when she felt Hans' beard tickle against her cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed yo-MMH!" the prince' sentence was cut off when the girl kissed his mouth greedily. their lips broke apart again, both were out of breath. When the girl wanted to kiss him again, the man stopped her. "Not here, Aliya. If they see us..."

"I don't care anymore. Hans, we have been doing this for months!" whispered the girl. "Somehow the truth will come out."

"And you will be the victim of it!" spoke the man worried. " Us two, we can keep this up together."

"Well... not just...us" spoke the girl hesitantly.

"What? Aliya, have you told anyone? If they tell it further they will-"

"ssh, shhh!" shushed Aliya the panicking man. "No, I haven't told anyone... It's just... I have been late with my Moon blood for 3 months now... I believe I'm pregnant." Aliya smiled with tears in her eyes. "You are going to be a daddy Hans."

"Are you sure?" pressed Hans to be certain.

"Yes..." The girl became worried when Hans didn't say anything. "Are you angry with me?"

"Angry? Aliya... thats..." the man's eyes became wet from tears. "That's amazing..." Aliya laughed and she kissed him again, the one she called her husband, her lover... and now the father of their child.

\---

"There doesn't seem to be anything about Arendelle in here." said Elsa while turning her attention back to Belle, who quickly hid the geographic map of Arendelle. "Have you found something?"

"No, I'm afraid not. I'm not that familliar with Arendelle... or your sister..." lied Belle.

\---

Oaken's wandering trading post, 1845.

"You want to find trolls?" said Oaken. "You know they are dangerous, ya?"

"Oh, no...I mean rock trolls, not bridge trolls." corrected Belle the merchant.

"Oh, ya. they are very nice."

"So, you can direct me to them?" Belle pointed to the map.

"No, have never met them. yohoo!" Oaken waved to Anna before returning his attention back to Belle.

"But you said they were nice." asked Belle confused.

"I've heard." said Oaken to the discouraged girl.

"Please help me out. I just lost my mother..."

"Oh I'm so sorry.." answered the merchant apologizing for not being able to help her further. Anna looked up to see the strange girl having a conversation with Oaken. She didn't want to prey, but the girl looked like she needed help.

"Anyway... thank you for your help" said Belle as she began to walk away, passing Anna in the process.

"I can help you." said the princess.

"You can?"

"Yeah You don't need a map or Oaken's help. I'm on my way to see them.. come with me if you like." smiled the red head. "I'm Anna."

"I'm Belle" both woman shook hands. "Thank you so much."

Friend of Anna's.. half price on the sauna." commented Oaken happily, causing both women to decline politely.

\---

Hans sprinted to the palace, desperately searching for the doctor. "Whoa, Hans! what's the hurry!?" Hans was stopped by one of his older brothers, Andreas.

"I'm searching for the healing master." spoke the prince urgent. Aliya's water had broken a few minutes ago and the prince was now looking for a doctor to help her with delivery of their baby.

"Why do you need him? you look perfectly fine to me..."

"Its not for me" lied Hans. "Its for one of my sailors. He sacrified his life for me during the battle on the Poseidon's Trident. I want to return the favor to his wife by giving her and her baby the best chance."

"Thats very noble of you." smiled his brother. "I will send the healing master to you. where does he have to be?"

"Uhm... Leyer street, second floor above the baker" remembered the young father.

"Alright, I will let him know."

"Thank you Andreas, you're a life saver!" Hans sprinted back to Aliya to support her in these stressing hours. As the young man ran upstairs he could hear his beloved wife screaming already from the contractions she was having. That was fast... normally it would take a few hours at least before the contractions began, knew the stressed father.

"Hans..." Huffed the young woman as she saw her husband sprint to her.

"I'm here, love." The man took her hand, wincing as he felt his hand getting crushed by the woman. "You are doing great" The prince pressed some cold blanket against the woman's sweating forehead. 

Aliya smiled before she grimaced again when a strong contraction came up again. "He's going to be a great fighter" 

"He?" asked hans.

"Yeah... I believe its going to be a boy..." 

"And I still believe its going to be a girl..." It had been a amusing speculation between them two about what the gender would be of their child. Hans looked up when he saw the Doctor come in.

"Alright Miss, I want you to take deep breaths. when I ask you to push, you push alright?" Aliya nodded, her sweaty face glinstering in the dim room. "Alright, Push!"

Aliya obliged while Hans felt like any father; helpless as he could only watch to see his wife in pain.

"Almost there..." 

"AAAAAAH!" Aliya screamed from both the pain and exhaustion as she pushed again. 

"There you go..." a cry echoed through the room as the Doctor quickly cut the umbilical cord and wrapped the child in a blanket. "Its a boy" said Doctor while putting the baby into the mother's arms.

The tired mother smiled weakly to her husband. "Told you so..." Hans laughed and kissed her on the forehead. 

"He looks so beautiful... he has your eyes..." spoke Hans while tracing his finger carefully across the little child's hand. He gasped when the little man wrapped his small fingers arround his. "What are we going to call him?" asked the father.

"Eddard" thought the mother after a long silence. 

"Sounds wonderful." smiled Hans. For a moment, everything was perfect for the little family. Suddenly the door barged open and everyone looked up to see soldiers coming in.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked the Doctor. "AGH" the old man got hit with the hilt of one of the soldiers swords and slumped on the ground. Hans had stood up too, but was just as surprised and soon, he too was overwhelmed by soldiers. 

"NO! NOT MY SON!" cried the still exhausted mother when the baby was taken out of her arms.

"Leave them alone!" roared Hans while trying to break free. The soldiers however had him pressed against the wall as their numbers were too much.

"Oh, Hans..." the young father looked to the door where Andreas stood. "shut your mouth already." 

Hans' face became red with rage. "YOU brought them here? why?"

"Ah, hans... we can't have another bastard in our family can we?" said the brother while taking out his dagger. Hans felt his blood run cold when he walked to the soldier who held Eddard.

"NO, NO, please, NOT MY BABY -AAAAGH!" Aliya screamed when one of the soldiers sliced her throat. 

"There. we can have some peace and quiet." smirked Andreas while he looked at his screaming brother. "I got to say... you have some good taste, Hans." The soldiers forced Hans' face to look at how his brother took his crying child in his arms. The dagger gleamed coldly when it went down. The baby didn't cry anymore.

\---

"Hans!" The prince felt something on his shoulder and still with his mind in the dream, Hans roared and pushed the mountain man against the wall. "Hans! Its me, Kristoff!" yelled the shocked ice harvester. "It was just a dream!"

The prince blinked and came back to his senses when he realized he was in the cabin. Kristoff felt the pressure on his neck loosen and he coughed while trying to get his breathing back.

"No. it wasn't" whispered the tormented man while rolling back under the pelts.

Kristoff swore he could hear him cry that night.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
I was crying when I wrote this chapter. This has to be one of the most darkest scenes I have written in my life. I wanted to give Hans more backstory and let you all experience how he became so cold and bitter. Stay tuned. Next time I will put you all of your misery and give you some answers you faithful readers have been waiting for so long. Please review!


	12. Family Business part 2

"This is pointless" sighed a desperate Elsa while she placed the last book away. With a small gesture, the queen let the snowflakes arround her vanish. "I don't know why I thought there would be anything about my sister in here."

"You need to keep searching" tried Belle to encourage the blonde woman. "You know she's alive. you heard her heartbeat with Bo-Peep's staff right?"

"But what if the snow queen said was true?" said Elsa. "what if Anna put me indeed in that urn...maybe she doesn't want to be found..." Elsa swallowed her tears back. she didn't know what to think anymore. The stress and insecurity weighted heavy on the queen's shoulders.

"That's not true Elsa."

"You're just saying that to try to make me feel better" Elsa's voice broke.

"No, I'm not. I assure you, I'm not" said Belle.

"How do you know how my sister thinks? You've never met her before..."

"Ah... well..." Belle tried to stay calm. She wanted to say the truth so badly to the worried queen. But feeling guilty about what happened, she wanted to mend her mistakes first before telling Elsa. "It's just... from what I have heard about your sister... It feels like I know her." lied Belle.

"I have to face the truth... I might not ever be able to see Anna again." cried the broken queen.

"You will." said Belle who made her decision. she had to make this right. "Now keep looking, I'll be back."

"What?" asked Elsa confused. "Where are you going?!"

"THere is something I need to take care of first..." spoke Belle before she left the library in a hurry.

\---

"David! call of the search party, we found her truck near the Merry men's camp" talked Emma through her Phone. "Thanks for keeping an eye out" thanked Emma while she passed by Robin Hood.

"Gladly. You're the first sheriff I'm glad assisting" said Robin who began to walk next to Regina. "Regina, I was hoping we could talk?"

"I'm rather busy now." avoided the Evil queen. "In case you haven't noticed, we are about to barge in on an Ice cream truck" With that she began to walk next to Emma.

"You could have said 'maybe later'." commented Emma.

"Well, I don't need your advice." spoke Regina. "And lets now focus on the matter at hands, shall we?"

Hook opened the truck. "It looks like she beat us to it." said the pirate as he, Emma and Regina entered the small vehicle.

"Wait..." The savior noticed a lock on one of the freezers. "why would she lock these? Rocky road isn't that expensive to be worth stealing..."

"alright, stand back!" with a good measured slice of his Hook, the pirate managed to break the lock. When they opened the freezer, they noticed the huge pile of paper laying inside it.

"Can you read it?" asked Hook when they tried to read the strange language.

"Looks like Elvish from Lord of the Rings." said Emma while trying to decipher the runes. The reference caused Hook to look confused to the savior. "I will show you the movies someday" smiled Emma. "Lets get these to Belle. Maybe she knows how to read them."

\---

You can show yourself Dearie. I'm not the one you're hiding from." called Gold out.

"No." said the Snow queen while she was leaning on a tree. "to what do I owe this intrusion?"

"A warning. They are getting quite on your tail... They know what you're planning with the Troll Mirror, and Hans realizes now what he's capable of..."

"I'm aware" spoke the sorceress while walking arround the Dark one. "If I wouldn't want them to find out what's in the truck, I would have disposed of it a long before that. You're insulting my intelligence by thinking that I'm so gullible. Hans being able to survive last night is a small mistake from my part. But I'm flexible"

"You have been awfully secretive." admitted the Dark one.

"You didn't come to warn me. You came to threaten me." smiled the Icy sorceress. "You want something out of me..."

"If I want something from you, I'd take it." growled Rumple.

"But you can't, can you? You and I know, that to get what you want, you need one thing that I have: Leverage. And until you have it, I have a warning for YOU. Stay out of my way" warned the snow queen.

\---

Neither Kristoff nor Hans spoke about what happened last night and both loaded their materials up in silence. Hans closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed the feelings back. the past was in the past...

He couldn't even hold a funeral. After slicing their throats, the soldiers dumped Eddard and Aliya in the river, unable to let him retrieve them. He had been tempted to join them and take his life in the process too. But that would give the brothers the joy of being rid of them, and he didn't want them to win. And so, his grief quickly turned to Anger and Hate towards his half-brothers. Not all the brothers knew what Andreas had done; and they couldn't understand the o so radical change in their youngest sibling. Hans jumped onto his work; anything was good to distract him. When he wasn't working, it was the worst time for him. Everything reminded him of Aliya and Hans soon knew he had to get away or he would be completely mad in a few weeks. When He was asked to represent The Southern Isles to go to the coronation of Prinsess Elsa of Arendelle, he jumped at the chance...

"Come on buddy! Heyah!" yelled Kristoff, and they were off once again. They were now very high, as breathing became difficult on this altitude. Hans looked arround when he suddenly noticed something with his sharp eyes.

"Mountain man, look!"

Kristoff stopped the sled and squeezed his eyes to see better. "I don't see anything..."

Hans sighed and helped Kristoff out. "See that mountain top over there with the weird hedge?" Kristoff nodded. "Now, take your thumb and point it like this" instructed the prince and he held his thumb down. Kristoff mimicked it again. "Alright. now look to your left with your index finger like this." It was an old trick at the Naval academy: No matter how thick or long your fingers were, the accuracy was amazing. Kristoff's eyes widened when he saw what he couldn't before.

"Is that?..." whispered the Sami softly.

"Yeah. Its the Southern Isles for sure. I recognise that banner everywhere" pointed the prince out. "How long does it take for you to go over that mountain?"

"Uhm... well, with sled and reindeer... give or take 6 hours." said Kristoff still amazed by the giant army heading for Arendelle.

The prince began to chew on his lip. "Alright... If I have to guess... They are on foot and with a lot of people, so of course, It will cause some blockage. Along with the fact they have to take their horses, their armor and weaponry with them..." After that, Kristoff couldn't understand the technical babble the prince was thinking out loud.

"So... How long?" asked Kristoff impatiently.

"2 days." spoke Hans finally. "If we stay optimistic."

"Right." swallowed Kristoff. the ice harvester yelled again to Sven, and the reindeer obliged to his friend.

"You're not going back?" asked the prince confused when they went further up into the mountains. "Those men will be invading your home in a few days!"

"Getting you to Lappekonen is now most importantly. Besides, If I'm able to convince them to fight along, It may buy Arendelle some time"

"Who's 'They'?" asked the prince while he held on to the railing.

"The Sami."

\---

"So...Belle... i Couldn't help but overhearing that you lost your mother" spoke Anna carefully, afraid to hurt the girl's feelings.

"Yes, In an Ogre war..." answered Belle.

"I'm sorry for your loss... I lost mine too, at sea" apologized the red-head.

"You can still remember them." said Belle sad. "I can't remember a thing about how my mom died... That's why I go to the rock trolls. so I can finally be at peace again."

"Well, I'm sure Gran pabbie will help you with great pleasure" said the princess while they arrived at the valley of the Living Rocks. "Gran pabbie?! where are you?"

A rock began to roll forward, and to Belle's suprise, a creature unrolled before her eyes. "Ah, my dear! you're back! when is the new wedding date? I have practiced my speech!" said the old troll excited.

"Not yet, but we can get into that later" said Anna. "First, I want you to meet Belle. she has come a long way to see you."

Belle knelt by the troll. "It's an honor to meet you. I'm here because-"

"I know why your here" spoke the wise troll. "And I can get your memories back from your mother." The troll pointed his hand to Belle's forehead, and after a purple glow, the troll revealed a purple stone. "Go to the place you last saw her, and brew a tea with this stone in it. when you drink it, you will remember what happened to your mother."

Belle thanked the troll gratefully after retrieving the stone and turned her attention back to Anna. "Thank you Anna.. I wouldn't have done it without you."

"You don't have to thank me" smiled the princess. "having a new friend is payement enough! I'm glad I could help. But, would you mind if I speak with gran pabbie alone for a minute? It won't be long..." Belle went to stand a few more feet away, as for not to intrude on Anna's and Gran pabbies conversation.

"what can I help you with dear?" asked the troll.

"Some woman called Ingrid claims to be my aunt." spoke Anna while she knelt to face gran pabbie. "I just don't believe it. Mother would have told us if she had a sister."

The troll's face frowned. "Your mother never had a sister, Anna. that she would say so, is quite strange indeed..." the troll's face looked up again. "wait.. did you say Ingrid?"

"Yes, that's her name... Pabbie, do you know her?" The troll went silent, knowing he had said too much already. "Pabbie, I need some answers, please!"

Pabbie sighed. "Long ago, a young Ice harvester came with a young woman, suffering from terrible wounds. We tried to heal her, but nothing helped." The troll shook his head. "When we thought she had died however, her hair suddenly became white, and she began to breathe again."

"how's that possible?" asked the princess.

" Even we don't know how it happened. I'm not all-knowing" smiled the troll apologizingly. "Although she came somehow back into the living, she didn't remember her name anymore, nor how she came there. So, she choose herself to be called Ingrid. Abeit she was still weak, and so we nursed her until she felt strong enough to travel. I have never seen her again untill this day."

"Why would Ingrid lie to us like that?" spoke Anna angrily while she stood up. "How come she has the same powers as Elsa?"

"Those are questions you need to ask herself"

"I can't do that! Who knows what else she is hiding!" Anna sprinted to Belle who looked worried to the angry princess. "Belle! I need to warn Elsa!"

"Is everything okay?"

"It's the snow queen! She's up to something!" said the red-head while sprinting back. O god, please don't let me be too late!

\---

Belle and Gold stood by the Snow queen's liar. "Why are you doing this? And what has Elsa's sister got to do with it?" asked Gold to his wife.

"I need to help her" spoke Belle determinded. "You wait here while I go looking for something." As Belle began to search for the Sorcerer's hat, she heard a voice call to her, sometimes close, sometimes far from her.

Belle... The woman turned arround, and looked up. nothing.

Belle... Over here, Belle... The woman stepped closer to the covered Mirror.

Belle... sing- sang the female voice. Belle couldn't keep her curiosity in and took the blanket of the Mirror.

Hi Belle! waved her reflection. Belle stumbled backwards, shocked that the Mirror talked. When she stepped closer again, she couldn't see clearly through the Mirror; Like someone had spilled boiled spinach on it and couldn't wash it away...

I was hoping you'd find me... laughed her other self. I'm suprised you're brave enough to come in here...

"I had to" whispered Belle, unable to look away from her reflection. "I have to find Anna."

Why? scoffed the Mirror. You never cared much for her before?!

"That's not true."

Sure it is... You just had to remember what happened to your mother, didn't you? sneered the Mirror, relishing in the girl's guilt. No matter what the cost.

Belle had more and more difficulty to speak as her eyes stayed locked on the Mirror. "Stop! I...I made a mistake...I didn't mean to-"

-Ruin someone's life? interupted her reflection coldy. Yeah. certainly wasn't your most heroic moment. 

"Please, just stop!"

Everyone sees you as what you truly are, Belle. A pathetic Coward, weak, and manipulative. Why do you think the Dark one married YOU? You think it was love? truly? The Mirror laughed and fed of the girl's despair, growing stronger by doing so.

\---

"You'll be back in the enchanted forest in no time!" spoke Anna while she and Belle began to walk down the cliff.

"Uhm... i don't think the ship is setting sail!" commented Belle when she saw dark clouds come up their way. "it looks like a storm is setting in." A cloud crack could be heard as the storm rapidly advanced to the two.

"I don't think its a storm!" yelled Anna through the harsh wind. "Its the snow queen! She doesn't want me to tell Elsa what I found out!"

"Well... if she has all this magic... and you have good intentions, then..."

"I have more then good intentions! I have THIS!" Anna took out the box she stole from Rumple. "she can't hurt us with her magic!- WHOAAAH!" a strong wind blowed the women apart.

"BELLE!" yelled Anna while she held on to the cliff. "HELP ME!" the cold air made her fingers become stiff, causing her quickly to loose grip on the rocks.

'I'm coming to you!" yelled Belle while trying to get the memory rock. a small miscalculation from Belle to grab it, caused the little rock to fall down and shatter in pieces.

"BELLE, PLEASE! I CAN't HOLD ON!" cried the princess.

Belle turned her attention back to the girl. "take my hand!" Anna reached out with one of her hands, but the sudden weight on her other hand was too much. The princess lost grip on the cliff and fell down with a hard crack. "ANNA!" she couldn't be dead, could she? o let her just be unconcious please!

All of the sudden, a female in a white dress appeared next to Anna. Before Belle could even react, they both dissappeared in a cloud of snowflakes.

\---

"Belle! there you are!" said a relieved Gold. He became worried when she didn't came out from the snow queen's cave. "Belle?" the dark one noticed how strangely fixed Belle's eyes were on the Mirror. o no...

"Belle! don't look at the Mirror! Look at me!" yelled Gold while he stood before Belle's sight, blocking her from looking into the Mirror further. Suddenly Belle pointed the dagger to her husband, causing him to slightly go backwards. "Belle!" It was only because of Gold's reflexes that he got a small scratch from the dagger, rather then have it through his throat. The dark one reacted quickly and took hold of Belle's arm.

"NO! let me go!" screamed Belle as she tried to resist him. "Let me go!"

"You don't know what you're doing!" screamed Gold back while transporting them to the shop, away from the Mirror's presence.

"Let me go!" Slowly, the spell wore off and Belle looked up. "what..." suddenly she saw the scratch on Gold's neck and she looked to the dagger which glinstered red against the dim light. it didn't took long to put two and two together and Belle dropped the weapon with a heavy 'thud'. "O Rumple.. I'm so sorry... for Everything... I lied to you, about Anna... because I thought I could make things right.." Rumple pulled her into a hug, smothering her apologies.

\---

"Look!" After a long search in the library, Elsa had found something.

"...'The snow queen', by Hans Christian Andersen" citated Emma from the cover. She glanced to Hans. "You didn't write it by any chance?"

"No." smiled the prince to the savior. Neither noticed the queen avert her eyes who were gleaming with jealousy.

"So whats it about?" asked Hook when Elsa opened the old mufty children's book.

"Well, the legend of the troll Mirror is described in here..." spoke Elsa while turning the pages. "But there's nothing in it that tells us how to defeat it." Hook's hand stopped Elsa from going further.

"wait a moment.." noticed the pirate when he looked at the drawing. "Bloody hell! Hans, you look just like her!"

The prince' eyes widened too when he saw the ressemblance. "Who is that?" asked the man softly.

"According to the story... this girl is named Gerda..." read Emma while pointing to the second chapter " a little boy and a little girl."

As they went on, Elsa noticed something else. "Hans... She apparently had magic like yours too." the four of them saw the girl Gerda bloom Flowers in a dorned garden.

"Now that is no coincidence anymore." spoke the pirate. "Your name and the writer's is the same, You and Gerda have apparently the same magic... are you two related or something?"

"It can't be. He's been born from Julian Westerguard and Elia Umbrich." spoke Elsa remembering the family trees she read as a child in the library. "There's no way he could be related to her."

"I'm not." said Hans softly.

"What?" exclaimed Elsa. "Hans, that's not possible. Unless..."

"I'm a bastard, alright." the prince' mouth was a thin line when he said that. "I'm Julian's bastard son. He and a peasant girl had a relationship behind the curtains. My mother died when I was three, so my father always tells me. I never met her." the prince stared at the picture. Could she truly be his mother? 

On and on they went with the story, and it became more and more clear that their assumptions about Gerda being Hans' mother, were true.

"Wow, wait a minute..." another shock went through the prince and the queen as they stared at another picture.

"That's..." brought the prince out.

"Thats my mother!" Elsa's hand flew to her mouth. "How is that possible?!"

\---

"The fourth story: the prince and the princess"

n the kingdom where we now are there lives a Princess, who is extraordinarily clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the whole world, and has forgotten them again-so clever is she. She was lately, it is said, sitting on her throne-which is not very amusing after all-when she began humming an old tune, and it was just, 'Oh, why should I not be married?' "That song is not without its meaning,' said she, and so then she was determined to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how to give an answer when he was spoken to-not one who looked only as if he were a great personage, for that is so tiresome. She then had all the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heard her intention, all were very pleased, and said, 'We are very glad to hear it; it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You may believe every word I say, said the Raven; "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops about in the palace quite free, and it was she who told me all this.

"The newspapers appeared forthwith with a border of hearts and the initials of the Princess; and therein you might read that every good-looking young man was at liberty to come to the palace and speak to the Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as showed he felt himself at home there, that one the Princess would choose for her husband.

"Yes, Yes," said the Raven, "you may believe it; it is as true as I am sitting here. People came in crowds; there was a crush and a hurry, but no one was successful either on the first or second day. They could all talk well enough when they were out in the street; but as soon as they came inside the palace gates, and saw the guard richly dressed in silver, and the lackeys in gold on the staircase, and the large illuminated saloons, then they were abashed; and when they stood before the throne on which the Princess was sitting, all they could do was to repeat the last word they had uttered, and to hear it again did not interest her very much. It was just as if the people within were under a charm, and had fallen into a trance till they came out again into the street; for then-oh, then-they could chatter enough. There was a whole row of them standing from the town-gates to the palace. I was there myself to look," said the Raven. "They grew hungry and thirsty; but from the palace they got nothing whatever, not even a glass of water. Some of the cleverest, it is true, had taken bread and butter with them: but none shared it with his neighbor, for each thought, 'Let him look hungry, and then the Princess won't have him."'

"But Kay-little Kay," said Gerda, "when did he come? Was he among the number?"

\---

"i never knew my mother was that bold with her suitors" said Elsa when Emma had read the passage aloud.

"And I thought YOU were an ice cold witch" smiled Hans warmly to the queen causing the queen to laugh as well. Hook and Emma looked knowingly to each other. There was something blooming between them.

they read further how the Raven told Gerda that he had indeed seen Kay, how Gerda sneaked into the palace and thought to see Kay laying in bed.

"That's my father!" smiled Elsa when she noticed the young man on one of the pictures.

\---

The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was young and handsome. And out of the white lily leaves the Princess peeped, too, and asked what was the matter. Then little Gerda cried, and told her her whole history, and all that the Ravens had done for her.

"Poor little thing!" said the Prince and the Princess. They praised the Ravens very much, and told them they were not at all angry with them, but they were not to do so again. However, they should have a reward. "Will you fly about here at liberty," asked the Princess; "or would you like to have a fixed appointment as court ravens, with all the broken bits from the kitchen?"

And both the Ravens nodded, and begged for a fixed appointment; for they thought of their old age, and said, "It is a good thing to have a provision for our old days."

(...)

The next day she was dressed from head to foot in silk and velvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead a happy life; but she begged to have a little carriage with a horse in front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she would again go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.

Shoes and a muff were given her; she was, too, dressed very nicely; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage stopped before the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of the Prince and Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman, the footmen, and the outriders, for outriders were there, too, all wore golden crowns. The Prince and the Princess assisted her into the carriage themselves, and wished her all success

\---

"what did you find in the truck?" spoke Hans while looking to the pile of papers. a parchment lay on the top and the prince opened it.

"We can't read it. We've been trying to contact Belle, but she hasn't answered her phone yet" said Emma.

"Its Danish.." said the prince astonished when he recognised his mother language and he cleared his throat to read it for the group. "Your future is bleak, Your kingdom will splinter. Your land shall be cursed, with unending winter. With blasts of cold will come dark art, and a ruler with a frozen heart. All will perish in snow and ice, Unless you are freed with a sword sacrifice."

"That doesn't sound very optimistic" said Hook.

"But who is the ruler with a frozen heart?" asked Emma.

"I think its obvious... Me" stated Elsa softly while looking at the ground. "Im the one who trapped my Kingdom in ice"

"No, It would be too simple." said Hans while pacing arround. "Prophecies are tricky... There are so many meanings to a 'frozen heart'..." the prince placed his hands back on the table, causing sparks arround him.

"Hans?"

"uhm?" mumbled the prince unaware of his magic flowing freely.

"Your hands" pointed Elsa out, after which the prince quickly took them off the table as if he had burned them.

"Sorry. anyway... It could be me as well." The prince felt three pairs of eyes on him. "Not to be pretentious, but Everything that stands here... directs to me." The prince pointed on the parchment. "a ruler with a frozen heart; I got a shard in my heart during that time. the unending winter was the one you casted" he pointed to Elsa. "And the sword sacrifice... It has to be referring to Anna. She jumped in front of you and saved the Summer"

As everyone began to talk about the theories of the prophecy, Belle ran in and called for Elsa.

"Yes?" asked the queen while they went to stand a bit further from the little group.

"I.. I kept a secret from you." said Belle. "I should have said it before... I knew your sister Anna. She helped me.. But then I let her down when she needed me..." said the guilty girl.

"When did you see her?!" demanded Elsa loudly, causing the conversation of the group to stop.

"Arendelle, a long time ago... The snow queen got her captive before I could even help her."

Elsa began to pace arround at the news, fearing for her little sisters safety.

"And... I'm afraid there is more bad news I have to deliver." said Belle. "When I went into the snow queen's cave, I saw her Mirror... it was complete."

"alright then, lets just go and smash it!" said Hook grimly.

"But... If the Mirror is complete.. what is the Snow queen waiting for? I mean, shouldn't she have casted that curse already?" asked Hans.

"Apparently it is not enough to simply put the Mirror back together..." said Belle while pulling another book on the already full table. "what the Snow queen needs is the tear of a Golden Child."

"A Golden Child? Who's that supposed to be?" asked Emma the obvious question.

"The Golden Child apparently is gifted to be immune to all kind of magic. He, or She, is able to cure people from their curses and enchantments." answered Belle.

"So, what does the snow queen want with the Golden Child?" spoke Hook.

"the Child can cure any spell or enchantement... I think she wants to make it stronger by letting the Mirror absorb his or her tear..." theorized Emma out loud. "So, it leaves us with a little bit more time left... Thank you Belle, you have done great."

The tired girl smiled to Emma, before trying to apologize once more to Elsa: "Elsa, I..."

"No, no its alright" shushed the queen. "I'm glad you told me."

While Belle went back home to get some night sleep, the group still was clear awake at the late hour, theorizing about the prophecy and the Golden Child the Snow queen was searching for.

"Here..." Hook gave some coffee to Hans who was looking to the prophecy once more, before looking back to the picture of the Golden Child. The prince frowned his eyes, looking back and forth between the two books, while Elsa and Emma were looking in the Hans christian Andersen tale, and Hook was being the coffee-man for a moment. The trio looked up, startled by a sudden crash, and saw that the prince had dropped his coffee.

"Hans?"

"We have been so foolish." whispered the prince. "So damn foolish..." the prince looked up with a gleam in his eyes. "This prophecy isn't as apocalyptic as you would think... It leaves clues to who the Golden Child is!"

"What? How?"

"Your future is bleak, Your kingdom will splinter. Your land shall be cursed, with unending winter. With blasts of cold will come dark art, and a ruler with a frozen heart.' citated Hans. "That is the time when she shows up."

"She?" asked Emma.

Hans waved with his hand impatiently, asking her to be silent, looking intensly to Elsa.

"The Golden Child is someone who faced a cruel winter. A Golden child who is immune to spells and enchantments, who has a frozen heart" spoke Hans, hoping they would get it too. By seeing the blank faces, the prince sighed. "Unless you are freed with a sword sacrifice... Elsa, you should know!"

Elsa began to think but soon, everything mixed up inside her head.

A golden Child, immune to magic in unending winter...

"You kinda set off an eternal winter... everywhere..."

Unless you are freed with a sword sacrifice!

"you sacrificed yourself for me?"

... A ruler with a frozen heart...only love can thaw a frozen heart...

"I love you"...

Elsa's eyes widened too when she realized who the Golden Child was. "Anna..."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

what do you think of the revelations this chapter? Please review!

Gerda: Protagonist of the 'Snow Queen', Hans birth' mother.

Kay: Gerda's friend/brother.

Queen Idunn, Mother of Anna and Elsa: The Princess, who desires a prince-consort as intelligent as she, and who finds Gerda in her palace. She helps Gerda in her search for Kai by giving her warm, rich clothing, servants, and a golden coach.

Agdarr, Father of Anna and Elsa: The Prince, formerly a poor young man, who comes to the palace and passes the test set by the princess to become prince

Lappekonen: the Lappish Woman, who helped Gerda to shelter from the cold. has the Sight like Hans does.


	13. The Snow Queen part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: "the Snow queen" from Hans Christian Andersen doesn't belong to me, sadly enough.

Arendelle, 1845.

Hans had never felt so out of place as now when he walked through the hostile glares of the Sami people. Kristoff had warned him beforehand they would not be friendly to him, especially to a foreigner of the South. His clothes stood out like a moose during hunting season: While his were black and grey, The Sami People had clothes with all kind of colours you could think of. He heard the people whisper in their native language; Hans did know enough that he wasn't welcome here. Mothers clutched their children behind their back, While the fathers reached for their weapons.

"What is the meaning of this, Kristoff? Why did you bring a Summer child here?" asked one of the Ice harvesters while ignoring Hans completely. Hans wanted to speak, when he remembered Kristoff's words: Don't speak unless you're asked.

"He's not a Summer child, Gunnar." retorted Kristoff. "He has as much Northern Blood as we have."

The old Ice harvester laughed. "That weakling over there?! What does he know of the Songs?" Gunnar spitted on the ground.

"He may not know the Songs, but he has the Sight!" said Kristoff loudly, so the people could hear.

"That's no reason to bring him here." spoke Gunnar unimpressed. "There are many who have it in the South too, thanks to those traitors who mingled their blood with them, like your mother did. Just like you are doing now with the princess."

"How dare you..." The blonde Ice harvester' face went red. Hans couldn't keep silent anymore. His body and mind were exhausted from the journey, His headaches had become unbearable at this point, and he became sick of Gunnar's cold attitude.

"Look, mountain man!" The Sami people went silent, astonished a stranger spoke out of turn. "I don't care what your opinion is about what you are talking, but I have crossed an entire country to come here, against my will even. Kristoff wanted me to learn your traditions, your ancestry. But if you keep going like this, there won't be a culture left to give it to the future!" The prince breathed heavily. "There is a war brooding at your door. We have come to warn you about that."

" That's none of our concern. They will leave us alone" spoke an angry Gunnar while he stood up to face the prince.

"If you think they will, you are even more short-minded then I thought you were" snarled the prince back.

"I will not swallow insults from a boy so green he pisses grass!" yelled Gunnar while taking out his dagger.

"Oh... so I am a boy?" spoke the prince calmly while the dagger was pressed against his chest. Kristoff knew the prince well enough to know he was at his most dangerous when he spoke like that. "You'd have to be more careful, mountain man. Kill the boy, and you let the man be born"

"Do you hear how he speaks, Gunnar?" spoke a cracked voice. Everyone turned their heads towards the old woman who shuffled forwards. "Only someone from the North speaks so bold."

"Lappekonen! You can't possibly teach this foreigner..."

"I can't what?" interrupted the woman sharply, causing Gunnar to shut his mouth. "I'll decide for myself whom I teach." The woman turned her attention back to Kristoff and Hans. "I'm sorry for the hostile welcome you two had to endure. Let's go talk somewhere warmer." The crowd let the woman respectfully pass with Kristoff and Hans walking behind her. The night began to set in, and Hans looked up to see the Aurora Borealis shining above the sky before stepping in the warm cozy tent.

"You too Kristoff Bjorgman!" Hans looked behind him to see Kristoff come in too. Apparently he thought Lappekonen wanted to speak with Hans alone.

"Me, Lappekonen? I... I believe you wanted to learn Hans, not me..." stuttered Kristoff while sitting next to the auburn-haired man.

"Stop thinking so low of yourself, boy." chided the woman while giving both men a bowl of stew. "You too possess a gift. Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Me?" asked Kristoff while Hans looked shocked to the Ice harvester. "But... i don't have the Sight..."

"No, you don't. But you can speak to the animals." clarified the woman.

"Uhm.. that's just...nothing... I speak to Sven yes, but its just a stupid-AHW" Kristoff rubbed his head when the woman hit his head with her staff.

"Nonsense, boy! You can hear their thoughts, as they can read yours. Just like this young man here, you both are connected."

"Connected to what?" asked the prince while putting his empty bowl down.

"To the nature of course!" said the woman offended by their lack of knowledge.

"You talk as if its alive" said the prince confused.

"Oh, it is, young man." smiled the woman. "We all depend on the balance. We go with the reindeers when the Winter sets in, and when they die, we make huts, clothes and blankets untill they turn to ash. Just like we will be too."

"You wanted me to come here..." said Hans. "And I believe its not just to learn me control the Sight. You told me there were 'dark forces' at work. what did you mean by that?"

"You are a smart boy, Hans..." spoke the woman. "I thought you'd figured it out for yourself by now?"

"The snow queen..." mumbled the prince after a short silence, remembering the chills he felt when he was near that woman. "She's the reason you brought me here? why?"

"Because you need to know her story." spoke Lappekonen. Suddenly the prince's eyes felt heavy when he looked into the woman's eyes, as did Kristoffs. "Her true story..."

She must have done something in the stew... realized Hans before falling unconcious.

\---

The Southern Isles, 1818

"Kay, Look!" Gerda pointed to the Merchant nearby who selled Red Roses to anyone who came by. "Such beautiful roses!" Gerda looked longingly to the flowers which somehow still managed to bloom during the Winter.

"If they make you truly so happy sister, let me buy one for you" spoke Kay generously and he opened his purge to pay for it. 

"What is a flower compared to a ring?" scoffed someone nearby the two younglings. The two turned arround to see a young duke standing next to them. "It will wilt as time passes by." And the man showed the ring he had bought for Gerda.

"Perhaps a rose will die from time, but the kindness of the gesture will not" spoke Gerda unfazed by the Duke's bold proposal. The Duke's face went red when the girl refused him and angrily dissappeared.

"It is unwise to provoke him, Sister" spoke Kay, worried for his sisters safety. The suitors came now every day since Gerda got her first Moon Blood.

"I didn't provoke him. He will find someone to whom he can give his heart to. But its not mine" said Gerda stubbornly. They walked back home, where Gerda planted the Rose inside her garden. The girl waved her hands and the roses multiplied into a beautiful bush. 

"Come on, Gerda! We will be late for the Winter Festival!" spoke her brother enthousiastic.

"I'm coming, Kay!" Both siblings had their finest clothes on, and along with their parents, they attended the Winter festival.They danced to celebrate the end of the Darkest night and both Gerda and Kay , as well as the other villagers, broke into song to praise the Lord:

"Roses bloom and cease to be,  
But we shall the Christ-child see."

Brother and Sister kissed each others cheeks for good fortune, but when doing so, Kay suddenly stumbled back. "Ah! Something struck my eye!"

"Let me see" spoke his worried sibling, yet when she looked, His eye looked perfectly fine. "Are you alright?"

"Yes" spoke Kay, suddenly annoyed with his sisters concern. "Why are you crying? It makes you look ugly!" Their parents too came to look to their youngest child, Yet Kay answered just as cruel to them. When they returned back to their houses, Kay suddenly noticed the Roses. "Ah, see!" said the boy. "that rose is worm-eaten, and this one is quite crooked. After all they are ugly roses" and then he kicked the boxes with his foot. Gerda cried herself to sleep, still shocked by her brother's cruel act. Yet, she hoped he would apologize for it the next morning. It never came. Over time, Kay began to isolate himself from his family. He could spend hours looking to the snowflakes on the glass window. "Is it not clever?" said Kay, "and much more interesting than looking at real flowers. There is not a single fault in it, and the snow-flakes are quite perfect till they begin to melt." 

Soon after Kay made his appearance in large thick gloves, and with his sledge at his back. It was already late at night when he called up stairs to Gerda, "I've got to leave to go into the great square, where the other boys play and ride." And away he went. Gerda was exhausted after the day's work and didn't hear her younger sibling call to her. Her eyes stood open, and she dreamt, seeing Little Kay taken away by a large winter storm. 

"Kay!" called Gerda after waking up, fearing for her brother's safety. He hadn't returned as she didn't see his clothing on the bracket. "Kay, where are you?"

\---

Storybrooke, present day.

"Alright..." the prince took a deep breath, trying to refocus again on the task. "Lets try again." The prince focused his magic back into his hands and tried to shoot to a tree nearby. It missed again. The prince groaned in desperation and stamped his foot on the ground, causing the area to grow.

"You need to stay calm, Hans" spoke Emma while she destroyed the blooming area the prince had accidentally created.

"Easy for you to say." grumbled the prince after drinking some water. "How can I even help if I can't hurt a fly?" The prince waved his hand up in desperation, causing the tree nearby to grow apples at a rapid pace. the over ripe apples fell down, some of them hitting the prince's head. "AHW"

Elsa giggled with her mouth covered when she saw the prince struggle with his magic, although she couldn't help feel sorry for him. "You will get it" encouraged the queen while she helped the prince up. "Its just a matter of practise." The forest they practiced in, was warm and filled with dry air. The prince' shirt was wet from sweating. Elsa blushed when she saw his trained body underneath.

"Like what you see, witch?" smiled the prince when he noticed the queen staring at him.

"Its just from the warmth" murmeled Elsa while looking away. The prince laughed and just wanted to retort, when Emma's cellphone ringed.

"Hallo? David?" asked Emma. "Yes...Yes, we will be there immediately." Both royals looked puzzled to the savior. "The snow queen is in the tower of the library. along with the Mirror."

The three quickly sprinted to the car.

\---

Gerda couldn't believe it that her brother, her Little Kay was dead. So the villagers had assumed when they searched for him, and only found his sledge next to the cold river. Despite her family begging to let the past go, she couldn't. Every night she had dreams, of Little Kay who was stuck in a palace of ice, working on a strange glass puzzle. And now, without her brother next to her, the suitors became more bold, more aggressive to her for asking her hand in marriage. Especially the young Duke of Weaselton, who seemed to have an unhealthy affection for the girl. The girl Always refused and thought still about her little brother. She knew she wouldn't find rest if she didn't go searching for him.

On one night, she made her decision, and she fled her warm house to go North as she had seen in her dreams. She took a boat to sail over the water and came along a dorned Garden. 

"You poor little child," said the old woman, "how did you manage to come all this distance into the wide world on such a rapid rolling stream?" And then the old woman walked in the water, seized the boat with her crutch, drew it to land, and lifted Gerda out. And Gerda was glad to feel herself on dry ground, although she was rather afraid of the strange old woman. "Come and tell me who you are," said she, "and how came you here." 

Then Gerda told her everything and when she had finished, Gerda asked if she had not seen little Kay, and the old woman told her he had not passed by that way, but he very likely would come. So she told Gerda not to be sorrowful, but to taste the cherries and look at the flowers. Yet the food was enchanted, and soon, Gerda forgot about her little brother she searched for. The next day, and for many days after, Gerda played with the flowers in the warm sunshine. however, as she sat looking at the old woman's hat with the painted flowers on it, she saw that the prettiest of them all was a rose. The old woman had forgotten to take it from her hat when she made all the roses sink into the earth. 

"What, are there no roses here?" cried Gerda; and she ran out into the garden, and examined all the beds. There was not one to be found. Then she sat down and wept, and her tears fell just on the place where one of the rose-trees had sunk down. The warm tears moistened the earth, and the rose-tree sprouted up at once and Gerda kissed the roses, thought of the beautiful roses at home, and, with them, of little Kay. 

"Oh, how I have been detained!" said Gerda, "I wanted to seek for little Kay. Do you know where he is?" she asked the roses; "do you think he is dead?" 

And the roses answered, "No, he is not dead. We have been in the ground where all the dead lie; but Kay is not there." 

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" said the girl, and she sprinted out of the dorned Garden, only to see, that Autumn had already come.

\---

The group rushed up the tower to see the Snow queen before her Mirror. The snow queen looked arround and before she could react, Emma used her magic to chain the Icy sorceress' hands together.

"You did it!" laughed Elsa while embracing Emma.

"Yeah... i did." said Emma suprised it actually worked. She took hold of one of the Snow queen's arms, while David took the other to take the Snow queen to the Sherrif station.

"Where is Anna! And don't say she's dead, we heard her heart-beat from Bo-Peep's staff." yelled Elsa to the smiling woman in the interrogation room.

"Really? It seems someone is trying to grasp a final strow of hope." chuckled the snow queen.

"What happened to her? You took her captive when she went to visit the trolls. She must have found something out... "

"I don't know why you should care... she's the one who put you in that urn. besides, why shouldn't she? After all, you betrayed her."

The room seemed to get colder after that. Hans and Emma glanced towards each other, both considering if they should intervene or not.

"I would NEVER betray my sister." spoke Elsa.

"Never... thats such a powerful word." smiled the snow queen as if they were just having a nice conversation with coffee and biscuits. " you kept the man who tried to kill her safe, and let Arendelle fall into ruin... If THAT's not betrayal I don't know what it is!"

"You're lying!" Elsa slammed her hands on the table and this time, Emma pulled her back.

"Elsa, you have to stay calm." whispered Emma while ushering the queen outside.

"We need answers." spoke the queen.

"And we will. But right now, you need to calm down." Emma looked back to Hans. "You stay to watch her ok?"

\---

After encountering the kind princess of Arendelle, Gerda had been given a nice coach and warm clothes. The coach drove on through a thick forest and dazzled the eyes of some robbers, who could not bear to let it pass them unmolested. 

"It is gold! it is gold!" cried they, rushing forward, and seizing the horses. Then they struck the little jockeys, the coachman, and the footman dead, and pulled Gerda out of the carriage. 

"She is fat and pretty" said the old robber-woman. "She is as good as a little lamb; how nice she will taste!" and as she said this, she drew forth a shining knife, that glittered horribly. "Oh!" screamed the old woman the same moment; for her own daughter, who held her back, had bitten her in the ear. 

"She shall be my best friend and I will have a ride in the coach," said the little robber-girl who seated herself in the coach next to Gerda, and drove into the depths of the forest. The little robber-girl was about the same size as Gerda, but stronger; she had broader shoulders and a darker skin; her eyes were quite black. She clasped little Gerda round the waist, and said: "They shall not kill you as long as you don't make us vexed with you. I suppose you are a princess." 

"No," said Gerda. 

The robber-girl looked earnestly at her, nodded her head slightly, and said, "They sha'nt kill you, even if I do get angry with you; for I will do it myself." 

The coach stopped in the courtyard of a robber's castle, the walls of which were cracked from top to bottom. Ravens and crows flew in and out of the holes and crevices. In the large and smoky hall a bright fire was burning on the stone floor. There was no chimney; so the smoke went up to the ceiling, and found a way out for itself. Soup was boiling in a large cauldron, and hares and rabbits were roasting on the spit. 

"You shall sleep with me and all my little animals tonight," said the robber-girl. So she took Gerda to a corner of the hall, where some straw and carpets were laid down. "There sit the wood-pigeons," pointed the girl to a number of laths and a cage which had been fixed into the walls. "Both rascals would fly away directly, if they were not closely locked up. And here is Bae, with Sven'" and she dragged out a reindeer who was tied up along with a small reindeer baby. the robber-girl drew a long knife from a chink in the wall, and let it slide gently over the reindeer's neck. The poor animal began to kick along with his freightened baby, and the little robber-girl laughed, and pulled down Gerda into bed with her. 

"Will you have that knife with you while you are asleep?" asked Gerda, looking at it in great fright. 

"I always sleep with the knife by me," said the robber-girl. "No one knows what may happen. But now tell me again all about little Kay, and why you went out into the world." 

"Before I tell you my story, I want at least to know your name, so I don't tell it to a stranger." said Gerda while keeping her eyes on the dagger.

"Very well. I'm Sigunn" answered the girl.

Gerda repeated her story over again. The little robber-girl put one arm across Gerda's neck, and held the knife in the other, and was soon fast asleep and snoring. But Gerda could not close her eyes at all; she knew not whether she was to live or die. 

the wood-pigeons said, "Coo, coo; we have seen little Kay. Coo, coo." 

"What are you saying up there?" cried Gerda. 

"he was most likely travelling to Lapland, where there is always snow and ice. Ask the reindeer that is fastened up there with a rope." 

"Yes, there is always snow and ice," said the reindeer; "and it is a glorious place; you can leap and run about freely on the sparkling ice plains. it is at the North Pole, on an island called Spitzbergen." 

In the morning Gerda told her all that the wood-pigeons had said; and the little robber-girl looked quite serious, and nodded her head, and said, "That is all talk, that is all talk. Do you know where Lapland is?" she asked the reindeer. 

"Who should know better than I do?" said the animal, while his eyes sparkled. "I was born and brought up there, and used to run about the snow-covered plains." 

"Now listen," said Sigunn; "I will untie your cord, and set you free, so that you may run away to Lapland; but you must make good use of your legs, and carry this little maiden to where her play-fellow is" 

"But my little child" answered the reindeer concerned when he looked to Sven. "He will not yet be strong enough to take him with me."

"Then I shall take care of him untill you get back with the girl." promised Sigunn to the reindeer. Abeit treating him badly, she had begun to love him in her own special way. The reindeer jumped for joy, happy that his child would be safe; and the little robber-girl lifted Gerda on his back. "Here are your fur boots for you," said she; "for it will be very cold. And here are my mother's large warm mittens; they will reach up to your elbows. Let me put them on."

Gerda wept for joy and thanked the young girl for giving her these precious gifts.

"I don't like to see you fret," said Sigunn; "you ought to look quite happy now; and here are two loaves and a ham, so that you need not starve." These were fastened on the reindeer, and the little robber-maiden opened the door. And away flew the reindeer, over stumps and stones, through the great forest. "There are my old northern lights," said the reindeer; "see how they flash." And he ran on day and night still faster and faster.

\---

Hans had his arms crossed and avoided the intense look the Snow queen was giving him.

"Finally, I get to talk to you" smiled the Icy sorceress to the young man.

"Good. keep talking." said Hans. "I'm afraid it will be more image then sound"

"Look at you..." The Snow queen looked to the prince with fascination. "You have quite changed this past week...much bolder, I may say so."

The prince' face didn't waver nor did he speak. The sorceress continued. " it shouldn't be suprising. you have the temper of your mother. Don't you want to know what happened to her?"

The prince's eyes darkened for a moment. It was just a flash, but the Snow queen saw it. "Apparently not...But it appears you are already used to lose the people you hold dear. Your Mother... Lars... Aliya and Eddard." Bingo! thought the snow queen maliciously when she saw the prince' clench his hands into fists.

"How do you know about them?!" growled the prince. He had never told anyone about them. How could she know?!

"The Mirror shard keeps the memories of the people it inflected." said the Snow queen casually while the prince's eyes filled with hatred. "So, what are you going to do?"

the question was so sudden, that even Hans, who normally had an answer for everything, was speechless. "what?"

"What are you going to do when you get back home?" asked the sorceress. "You will probably get executed for regicide of course. what was the death penalty again for such crime? beheading?"

"Elsa and I have come to an understanding." said the prince.

"'Elsa?'... My, my, Prince Hans, so informal." The snow queen clicked her tongue, as if she wanted to chide a child. "Not very formal indeed to adress her majesty." The prince narrowed his eyes at the Snow queen's teasing but stayed silent, not wanting to give the woman any more excuses to talk. "Do you honestly think she will forgive a traitor like you, who lied to her sister and her kingdom to get the crown?"

"By my knowledge, YOU were responsible for it." said the prince while pointing to the snow queen. "You put that shard into my heart."

"Me?" said the snow queen suprised, abeit a bit too fake. "But prince Hans... i didn't cast that over you...it was mostly coincidence." The prince scoffed at that answer. "You see, I was at that moment still busy to collect them. the more shards you put together, the more control you get over the inflected people. So, as I was busy with puzzling, a sudden snow storm took some of them away. One of them must have gotten into your heart during that storm."

The prince remembered it now. that sudden snow storm that had come out of nowwhere when he and the search party went to look for princess Anna.

"It wasn't conjured by me, but by a rather fearful queen." said the snow queen. "But you should be flattered. I couldn't have had a better person to do the job, to crush Anna's heart. Its a shame you didn't full fill your task by lopping the queen's head off."

"Stop talking about it!" unknowingly to the prince, the room arround him began to become warmer.

The snow queen looked curiously to Hans. "Why so Angry? I said nothing wrong. I merely explain to you what happened, and what you almost did to queen Elsa..." The prince' hands began to glow. just a extra little push, was all he needed... knew the snow queen. But then she noticed something else. the prince's eyes changed. very subtle, but it was there. she had to use that... "Do I upset you prince Hans?" The prince' hands shook from anger. "I don't understand why you would be so caring towards her. Unless... You have grown fond of her?" THERE it was. The snow queen laughed loudly when she saw the prince' mask fall off as pure shock was shown on his face. "Are you in love with her, prince Hans? You, a traitor prince, a bastard son? what can YOU offer her? Nothing! You are just a monster, a monster they all fear!"

"SHUT UP!" roared Hans, slamming his hands on the table. A loud blast from his hands caused the wall before him to crumble. The prince gasped and looked to his glowing hands. "what... what did you make me do?" screamed the prince while trying to stop his magic.

"Ah.. I just showed what you really are" said the Snow queen while taking of her chains. With that said, she dissappeared in a cloud of snow flakes leaving the prince alone in a destroyed sherrif station. The prince crawled over the huge stone blocks and looked from the outside to the damage he had caused.

"Hans!" The prince looked arround to see Charming, Snow, Hook and Gold run to him. They had all heard the explosion from miles away.

"What did that monster do to the sherrif station?" asked Hook to the young prince.

"It wasn't her...it was me..." said the prince while he forced his hands into a fist. He gasped in pain when the magic build up inside him. through his fingers, green-yellow Sparks came through.

"You?" asked Emma while she came with Elsa. "Hans, are you okay?"

The build up in his arms had become unbearable now. "Just...stay away from me!" Pollen began to swirl arround the prince, as he couldn't keep his magic in anymore. Hard thorns on the ground appeared as well, causing the group to jump backwards as for not being impaled by it. His eyes locked with Elsa and both remembered the coronation. Except this time the roles were switched.

"Hans... we can help" said Elsa softly while stepping closer to the man. "I had to go through this the same way... Just... let me help."

For a moment, the prince considered it and began to stretch his hand out to the young woman, when suddenly the snow queen's sentence echoed in his head:You, a traitor prince, a bastard son? what can YOU offer her? Nothing! You are just a monster... The prince withdrew his hand, avoiding Elsa's hurt face. and began to run into a sprint.

"Hans!" Elsa's cry went through his bones and he wanted nothing more then to comfort her...The prince kept on running into the Woods, while his sight became blurry and he could taste the salt tears on his lips.


	14. The Snow Queen part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own "The Snow Queen" from Hans Christian Andersen.

You would think that powers like that of his couldn't cause any damage. It just caused everything to grow, right? Not as harmful as the Ice and snow that Elsa or the Snow queen conjured. Wrong. As Hans ran through the forest, he could feel how the trees, the bushes and grass grew arround him, without anything to limit them. As they grow higher, thicker and longer, so did it block their ability to profit from the sunlight. With their growth sped up, so did their lifespan as well, and soon, they began to wilter as well. Hans stopped, exhausted from the long run. Normally he could run like this for hours, but it was his magic that drained him. The prince layed down on the cold forest ground, not bothered by the cold at all. His body temperature somehow, was higher then normal, while that of Elsa's was lower then that of a normal body. He suspected it was because of their magic. again. Hans' mind wandered off. Was this how Elsa had felt when she ran away from the coronation? His eyes travelled up to the sky. well, there wasn't anything to run at for him if the whole town was surrounded by that ice wall. They would find him soon. He looked back to the overgrown forrest. Or perhaps not.

\---

They stopped at a little hut; the door was so low that the family had to creep in on their hands and knees, when they went in. There was an old Lapland woman, who was cooking. The reindeer told her all about Gerda's story "Oh, you poor thing," said the Lapland woman, "you have a long way to go yet. You must travel more than a hundred miles farther, to Finland. I will write a few words on a dried stock-fish, for I have no paper, and you can take it from me to the Finland woman who lives there; she can give you better information than I can." So when Gerda was warmed, the woman wrote a few words on the dried fish, and told Gerda to take great care of it. Then she tied her again on the reindeer, and he set off at full speed. And at length they reached Finland, and knocked at the chimney of the Finland woman's hut. They crept in, but it was so terribly hot inside that that woman wore scarcely any clothes. She loosened little Gerda's dress, and took off the fur boots and the mittens, or Gerda would have been unable to bear the heat; and read what was written on the dried fish. The reindeer told Gerda's story "You are so clever," said the reindeer; " Cannot you give this maiden something which will make her as strong as twelve men?"

"I can give her no greater power than she has already," said the woman; "don't you see how strong that is? How men and animals are obliged to serve her, and how well she has got through the world. She cannot receive any power from me greater than she now has. If she cannot herself remove the glass fragments from little Kay, we can do nothing to help her. you can carry the little girl so far. Do not stay gossiping, but come back here as quickly as you can." Then the Finland woman lifted Gerda upon the reindeer. The reindeer dared not stop, so he ran on till he reached their destination; here he set Gerda down before returning back. 

She ran forwards as quickly as she could, when a whole regiment of snow-flakes came round her; they did not, however, fall from the sky. these were really larger, and much more terrible, for they were alive, and had the strangest shapes. Then little Gerda repeated the Lord's Prayer, and the cold was so great that she could see her own breath come out of her mouth like steam as she uttered the words. Yet when she said The Prayer, she felt the cold less, and she hastened on to find her little brother.

Little Kay was quite blue with cold, indeed almost black, but he did not feel it; for his heart was already a lump of ice. He dragged some sharp, flat pieces of ice and placed them together in all kinds of positions, as if he wished to make something out of them. in his eyes the figures were very remarkable, and of the highest importance; this opinion was owing to the Mirror shard sticking in his eye. He formed different words, but there was one word he never could manage to form. It was the word "Eternity." The mysterious figure who brought him here, had said to him, "When you can find out this, you shall be your own master, and I will give you the whole world and a new pair of skates." But he could not accomplish it.

Gerda came through the great door of the castle. Cutting winds were raging around her, but she offered up a prayer and the winds sank down as if they were going to sleep. she caught sight of Kay; she flew to him and threw her arms round his neck, and held him fast, while she exclaimed, "Kay, dear little Kay, I have found you at last." But he sat quite still, stiff and cold. Then Gerda wept hot tears, which fell on his breast, and penetrated into his heart, causing the shard in his eye to come out. Then he looked at her, and she sang—

"Roses bloom and cease to be,  
But we shall the Christ-child see."

Then he recognized Gerda, and said, joyfully, "Gerda, dear Gerda, where have you been all this time, and where have I been?" And he clung to Gerda, and she laughed and wept for joy. It was so pleasing to see them that the pieces of ice even danced about; and when they went to lie down, they formed themselves into the word "Eternity". Then Gerda kissed his cheeks, and they became blooming; and she kissed his eyes, and they shone like her own; she kissed his hands and his feet, and then he became quite healthy and cheerful.

\---

"Stop, don't look into that thing!" yelled Belle afraid when she saw the group stare at the Mirror. She quickly pushed Elsa, Emma and Hook away. "It will make you see the worst in yourself!"

"Well, I have been staring for minutes to that bloody thing, and I see myself just as handsome as before." said the pirate.

Belle slowly came closer to the Mirror, afraid to hear her worst self talking to her again. "Thats... that's not the Mirror."

"But... why did the Snow queen risk getting caught by us if... this is a fake?" asked Elsa. The queen felt something was wrong. That woman was a genius, cruel and calculative. Why such a arrogant move? this is nothing like her...

"Because she wanted to get caught" realized Charming. The group quickly returned to the sheriff station.

"who's with the Snow queen?" Yelled Hook while running.

"Hans is with her!" cried Emma back, while trying to get her breathing under control.

BOAAAAAM! The group instinctively stopped when they heard the large explosion, before running even harder, hoping they were not too late. "Oh no.." said the queen while trying to keep up with her high heels, followed by Emma.

"Hans! What did that monster do to that Sheriff station?" asked Hook to the young prince.

Elsa immediately noticed something peculiar about the prince. His fists were shaking and...he looked afraid. she had seen that look too many times with her parents. When his magic began to spiral out of control, she rushed towards him, offering him her help. Don't worry, Hans. I'll help you... Like you helped me... The queen smiled softly when Hans stretched his hand towards her. But suddenly he paused before withdrawing his hand. Elsa looked up, feeling her emotions rage inside her. Why didn't he let me help? thought her more angry side. I thought we were friends? said another, sadder voice in her as she searched for his green eyes, to demand an explanation. Yet the prince didn't even look her in the eye when he turned her back on her.

"Hans!" The queen tried one more time, but her voice cracked from sadness. Stop, please! I can HELP you! I can't loose you like Anna!

\---

They went back South, going over the waters. When walking back home, Gerda recognised A young girl along with a baby reindeer. It was Sigunn who had got tired of staying at home; she was going to the north.

"You are a fine fellow to go gadding about in this way," said she to Kay, "I should like to know whether you deserve that any one should go to the end of the world to find you."

Then she took both their hands, and promised that if ever she should pass through the town, she would call and pay them a visit. And she did. Sigunn came back every season to visit her dearest friend Gerda, yet her friend suspected soon it was for her little brother Kay. Or should she say: Big brother? Unknown till they came home, Both Kay and Gerda had become adults. When their parents saw the blooming love between Kay and the redeemed Sigunn, they approved with joy when Kay asked their permission to marry the girl. It became clear that Kay wanted to move out with his wife, up to the North again, where the girl's ancestors came from, as have his from his Mother's side. Despite his heart was cleansed from the evil Mirror shard, His love for Ice had not, as he wanted to practise once again the Ice harvesting. And so, Gerda wept for joy and sadness to see Kay go back to Arendelle. 

Gerda found someone as well to give her heart to. They met in the tavern where she served him. The man, Julian, was quite taken with the girl's spirit, for his own marriage had been settled before he was born. They talked as if they had known each other their entire life. After a bottle of wine, they couldn't think clearly anymore and they shared the bed together. it was only then, that Julian revealed he was Her King, and Gerda knelt to the ground, fearful of her punishment. The young King helped her up, feeling guilty he had taken her innocence from her, and, so turned out later, had conceived a child as well. As honourable as he was, he took the girl up in his castle, much to the disdain of his wife and true-born sons.

When Gerda brought her child into this world, she knew she would lose her Sight as well, as it would pass on to her baby. But at this moment while the contractions were still going on, she had them, more vividly and clearer then she ever had. The soon to be mother gasped from both the pain and the vison she saw before her eyes.

"Its a boy!" whispered Gerda happily to Julian, who knew by now to trust these visions she had.

"Really?" smiled the King while keeping hold of her hand. "Then how should we name him?"

"Hans!" gasped Gerda when another contraction came forth. "He's... o... He's so beautiful, Julian...I wish you could See like I do..." The woman screamed when she tried to push her child out. "He's going to be a great King, Julian... A King who will unite the North..." A baby-cry echoed through the room, and the king felt the stares from his wife and sons boring into his skull.

As Gerda was singing a lullaby to her son that night, she felt suddenly being watched. She looked up to see an auburn-haired man staring confused at her. Like any mother, she recognised her son immediately. Tears began to swell in her eyes when she looked proudly to the dashing young man that her child would become.

"Hallo Hans"

"How…"

"Those with the Sight can see each other when they Travel in their dreams" This must probably be his first time using the Sight...And for me, my last time.

"You… You have it too?" Gerda nodded while she saw her son trying to take everything in.

"then you can teach me! Who are you?" 

Who are you? How... Gerda felt her heart break in two when she heard her son say those words. How didn't he know who she was? Unless... She hadn't been there to take care of her son. Gerda's lip trembled. She hadn't been there for him, in the future that stood before her, that had passed already for him. And there was nothing she could do about it. "I'm afraid I can't help you…" I truly can't, my son. I can' t help you to control it, like my mother learned me, and her mother before... "But, I can give you my name. I'm Gerda." Gerda looked as she saw her son dissappear again. "Good luck, Hans" May your path be blessed...

"No, wait! I-" His image dissappeared and Gerda sunk on her bed, crying herself to sleep with her child in her arms. 

\---

The doorbell rinkled, Yet Gold didn't look up when the Snow queen advanced on him. After threatening the Snow queen to put her into the hat, she had been quite silent. Why was she here?

The sorceress didn't like it when she was getting fooled, like Rumple had done. She wouldn't make that same mistake again. "I want to make that deal." said she calmly.

"You have nothing to offer me. Your leverage is useless" said Gold, reminding her of the sorcerer's hat he had now into possession.

"But I do." smiled the snow queen coldly. "You want to free yourself from the dagger, don't you?"

Gold turned arround to face her. "That's old news dearie. You have to come up with something bigger then that to manipulate me."

"I had that hat for many, many years... And, you pick up some things from time to time... You're still missing one ingrediënt to cleave yourself of the dagger. I can give you that."

"And what do you wish for it in return?" asked the Dark one, curious as for what the snow queen would possibly want. "Do you want to know who the Golden Child is?"

The snow queen laughed softly. "Please... I know already who it is. Anna."

The dark one raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "And how are you so sure about that?"

"I heard them speak..." The snow queen flicked her hands. "My Snow Bees are spying everywhere." The snow queen waved her hand again, and the Snow Bees died by their Mistress' careless gesture. "But that's not important now. what I want, Is Anna's necklace."

"Why don't you retrieve it yourself?" asked Gold. "I believe it is still under the ice cave. Shouldn't be a problem for you."

"The savior and her miserable group of heroes are patrolling, looking for Hans. I Don't want them to turn their attention on me...yet. Do we have a deal?"

The Snow queen smiled when Rumple made the necklace appear with a gesture of his hand.

\---

Arendelle, 1823.

"Gerda!" the woman looked arround and cried with joy when she saw her brother Kay with his little family.

"Kay! Oh, Heavens, it is so good to see you again!" Gerda embraced her brother warmly. Sigunn she embraced as well, abeit a bit more carefull with the small baby she held in her arms. "And this must be Kristoff you wrote about" smiled Gerda while the baby stretched his little arms to her.

"Where is Hans?" asked Kay, excited to see his cousin. 

"I... I'm sorry, Kay...I felt it was more safe if he stayed at home, with the sea voyage... the seas are quite unpredictable at this moment." apologized Gerda.

"Ah, Don't fret about it." smiled Sigunn, knowing all too well how worried a mother could be about their child's safety. "We will come to visit you when..."

The conversation stopped when they announced the young King and Queen of Arendelle, along with their baby daughter Elsa, who had just been baptismed. Everyone in the courtyard bowed to the new heir of Arendelle, and the air boomed when they chanted her name three times over: "All hail princess Elsa!"

The festivities began and Gerda looked from aside as couples danced with each other. a low chuckle came from behind her, and she looked up to see her brother. "It seems only yesterday we were dancing at the Winter festival."

"Yes...yes, indeed" smiled Gerda while thinking of those fond memories. 

"Shall we do it again?" asked Kay while stretching his hand out to his sister, offering her to dance.

Gerda declined politely: "In a few moments... I just saw someone I recognized and wanted to speak." Gerda moved through the crowd to her friend, and also the Queen Idunn of Arendelle. "Your majesty"

The queen turned arround and smiled when she saw her old friend. "Gerda! Please, call me Idunn."

"I can't do that, your grace..."

Idunn's eyes twinkled in misshief. "Then I command you to call me Idunn." The queen shifted her child into Gerda's arms. 

"Idunn..." whispered Gerda while taking her small daughter carefully in her arms. "What...I can't..."

"If it weren't for you, she wouldn't have been here, the little sprout...I still remember very well how you sneaked inside the castle, into my room, no less. But... It was a good practice for the soldiers after that" chuckled the queen while her husband came by.

"I wanted to thank you again for those gifts you gave me a few years ago. I wish I could repay you, and the families who lost their husband when we were robbed."

"Please, Gerda, those soldiers knew what they were up to. As did their families" spoke Agdarr softly to stop Gerda from tormenting herself. "We payed already for their proper funeral, if that eases your spirit." 

Suddenly Gerda saw the Queen's eyes go downwards, to her child. All the while, the conversations had stopped too. "Gerda!" cried the queen while she saw her child getting strangled by strong vines. the woman gasped, and quickly desintegrated her magic, but it was already too late. The young child didn't breathe anymore. Idunn clutched her child to her chest, an instinctive reaction every mother had, while Agdarr called for the medics. 

"Idunn...i'm so sorry!" cried Gerda while she knelt to the ground, begging for forgiveness. Yet she knew, that their friendship could never be healed again. To touch a mother's child, was like a lion with her cub; she would do anything to protect it.

Idunn stared angrily down to her friend. She wanted nothing more then to let her rot into the darkest dungeon. Yet, a spark of fondness still lingered in her heart for the girl. "Get out!" barked the queen. "Get out, and never set foot here again!"

Gerda fled the room, while people began to yell across the room, and soon, across the courtyard:

"The princess is dead!"

"A witch cursed her!" 

and so in their anger, they threw rocks and garbage to the young woman while she desperately sought a way out.

"Gerda!" The woman saw her Brother and his wife come to her.

"Stay away from me!" cried Gerda. "I'm a murderer, Kay! I killed a child... I need to get rid of this magic!"

"Then let me help you!" said her brother while protecting her from the crowd.

"No! Kay, you have a family! You'll be branded a traitor for helping me!"

"You crossed an entire country to cleanse me from the Mirror shard!" yelled Kay while they rushed into the sledge. "I believe I have to return the favor yet!" 

"Sigunn!" said Gerda while she noticed her sister-in-law behind her in the sledge. "You should be with Kristoff!"

"Kristoff is all right!" yelled Sigunn back while taking a pistol out of a secret box. "He's with friends of ours, he's in good hands!" The former robber pointed her pistol to one of the following guards and shooted him right in the heart. "I have missed this!" smiled the woman joyfully. "Just like good old times, eh Gerda?"

"I thought Idunn let you go?!" asked Kay while he and Gerda ducked from the flying bullets. 

"I thought so too!" said Gerda confused. 

"That are not Idunn's guards," realized Sigunn while reloading her pistol. "Those are from Weaselton's!"

"That stupid weasel that couldn't stop obsessing about Gerda?" asked Kay to be sure.

"I think so!" said Sigunn to her husband. "I believe I see someone who looks like that creature."

The chase went on, higher and higher into the mountains, while bullets were shot from both sides. "Get that witch!" heard Gerda a very known voice yell. They were now riding by a small cliff, as close as they could against the safe rock wall.

"It would be unwise to provoke him, sister..." Kay's words from so many years ago, echoed again in her head.

"Hey, hey..."shushed Kay when his sister began to cry. "Its going to be alright, sister. Everyth-" the man stopped talking when he heard something rumble. The three looked up to see a gigantic avalanche of snow coming their way. It was too late to jump out of the sledge, let alone capable to hold on to something. The sledge, along with its people got washed away, down into a great abyss.

\---

Snow was just laying Neal inside his bed, when she saw Charming, along with his search party come in. They all looked exhausted. "Well, have you found him?" asked Snow. She too had begun to care about Hans in the short time he had been here.

"No. we didn't find him. The forest was too thick to get through." said Charming frustrated he couldn't do anything. "He makes quite sure he doesn't want to be found."

"I should have tried harder." said Elsa while pacing arround. "I had to break through that overgrown forrest, I had to!"

"Elsa..." Emma took hold of Elsa's arms while she tried to stop the queen from freaking out. "You did the best you could."

"no, I didn't. I failed to help him" Elsa's eyes filled themselves with tears. "I need to go out searching again!" the queen tried to wiggle her hands out of that of Emma's, but the savior stubbornly kept the tired Ice queen back.

"We will regroup, tomorrow. Right now, what we all need, is rest" told the savior.

"But Hans..."

"Hans can take care of himself, love" said Hook to comfort Elsa. "I still feel that punch he gave me a few days ago." It caused Elsa to laugh slightly, and Emma nodded a thank you to Hook for convincing the young woman to rest. They all needed their rest. Emma didn't know what the Snow queen wanted to acchieve by making Hans losing control of his magic, but she sure knew she was up for no good with it.

\---

The king and queen wept themselves to sleep that night. Now not only for their daughter, but for their close friends as well. The guards had found their broken bodies after long searching and where now trying desperately to bring them back.

"I shouldn't have been so cruel to her Agdarr" wept the queen. "I should have helped her..." Agdarr couldn't speak nor could he comfort her as he too was grieving. As the royal couple slept, neither noticed they had let the window open. It was in the middle of summer yet, snowflakes began to swirl in the room, close to the crib where their now lifeless child was.

The Snow queen looked upon the crib, before looking upon the grief-striked couple. As the Snow queen knelt by the crib and came closer to the Child to give her her Kiss, the queen awoke.

"You Satan's child!" cried the queen angrily. "Get away from my daughter!" If she had waited another moment, she had seen that the Icy sorceress had brought her child back to life, instead of harming her.

It was too late as the Snow queen had already given her Kiss to the Child, causing her brown hair to become white like the Snow queen's. The Snow Queen's eyes fixed herself now on the queen.

"Is this how you repay me, Queen of mud and grass?" spoke the Snow queen torned. "Very well. Since you see me as a Child of the Devil himself..." the Snow queen waved her hand once more and the little child began to cry. Snowflakes began now to swirl arround the child too. 

"Raise the Child with the power of mine in her veins. You shall think of me, every day from now on, and what you have bestowed on her by your lack of respect!" With that, the Sorceress vanished from Idunn's room.

\---

"This small town is too small for a man like the Dark one... You want to venture outside without losing your power... In the end, you want what every villain wants... Everything" said the sorceress softly while she looked to the necklace. She stretched for it when Rumple took it out of her reach.

"You first dearie." The snow queen whispered in the Dark one's ear the last ingrediënt he needed.

"Not only shall I do that... i shall do it with great pleasure. But, what are you going to do, alone here in Storybrooke?" asked Rumple while giving the necklace to the Snow queen.

The Icy sorceress smiled coldly. " You want the world...I want Storybrooke, and every inhabitant in it. Especially..." Her fingers trailed across a snow globe, causing it to freeze over. "Elsa. That little queen stole everything from me." The snow globe cracked under the sorceress' inhuman strength.

"And what about Hans? He will come asking me for help" anticipated the dark one.

"You wanted a new embroiderie on your hat? I think that prince will look quite nicely on it." said the snow queen carelessly. "I give him as a favor to you. Don't expect me to be so generous again. If you fail, you will know what true pain feels like." warned the woman before dissappearing into a cloud of snowflakes.

\---

Hans blinked to see himself in the old hut once again and he sat up. "My Headaches...they are gone!" noticed the prince immediately. The visions he had seen came back too and he looked in shock to Kristoff...his cousin, no less! It was a huge shock for Hans as he tried to take everything in. At the one side, he felt himself happy, he found someone related in blood. Yet on the other side, he wanted to weep for his mother, his uncle and aunt.

"Did... did they bury their bodies?" asked Kristoff to Lappekonen, his voice full with emotion.

"They couldn't reach them from so far below." spoke Lappekonen sadly. "But, if we all survive this upcoming war... I can take you to where they died"

The war! Hans paled. With all these revelations, he forgot almost they were in the middle of a war!

"Well, how far away are they?!" asked the prince as he ran out of the tent.

"They are now only a day away" spoke Lappekonen to the worried prince.

"We have to evacuate the children immediately" said the bulky ice harvester.

"That's already done, boy. While you two were asleep, I, and a few elders, did the preparations." pointed Lappekonen out to the two cousins. Hans and Kristoff looked up to the fires deep into the mountain. They were close now...

"How's that possible?" asked Kristoff to the wise woman. "We were asleep for only...what? 3 hours?"

Lappekonen laughed softly. "When you're having those visions, Kristoff, Time slows down. For you it felt like 3 hours... But in reality, you were asleep a whole day..." Suddenly the wise woman took something out of her clothes and gave it to the two men, who looked suspiciously to the objects.

"Do we have to eat them?" asked Kristoff cautiously thinking of that stew she gave them.

"O Heavens, no! What do you think of me!" giggled Lappekonen. "Those are magic beans. Very precious they are."

"How so?" asked Hans when he looked to the little objects in his palm.

"They can transport you to where ever you want"

"Great! Lets go back to Arendelle with them!" said the Ice harvester while he wanted to smash one of the beans on the ground.

"Wow, easy silly boy!" cried Lappekonen while stopping Kristoff from using it. "You can only use it once, so choose wisely when you want to use it, and only in great need."

"Very well..." said Hans, remembering Lappekonen had the Sight like him. "We will keep it close."

The woman shuffled away and both men began to help the other Sami people prepare for battle. Among the men, Hans saw many women as well. "You look suprised?" asked Kristoff when he saw Hans' bewildered look, seeing the women prepare their bows and arrows.

"Yeah...In the South, women aren't allowed to go into battle" said the prince while he began to sharpen a knife with his wetstone.

"Its pure survival here. If you can't at least defend yourself against a wild wolf or bear when you're alone, you are dead." answered the Ice harvester when he tested his self-crafted bow. He began to span it up untill it had the right tension, and the Ice harvester nodded contently to himself before beginning to sharpen his arrows."Can I ask you something?" Hans didn't say anything, and so the Ice harvester took it as a yes. "Did you know about Gerda's prophecy?"

Hans looked shortly up before refocusing again on his knife: "I knew her prophecy yes, thanks to my brothers. But that didn't affect my decision for the coup d'état 2 years ago." The prince paused. "I never believed in it, as I saw it as one of the many jokes my brothers would pull on me back then."

"So...what made you do it?"

"I wanted to forget" The prince avoided Kristoff's eyes. "No...not forget. Just...let the past behind me. Every day I stayed there, it became more and more unbearable." To think of Aliya and Eddard... "Now, its my turn to ask you a question... What is my mother's family name?"

It was still dificult to grasp that they were cousins, so for Kristoff it took a while before answering that question. "Andersen-Bjorgman. Although, I prefer it shorter, so I chose Bjorgman."

"For your father's side, I take it?"

"Yeah..." said Kristoff while he looked up to the prince. why was he asking this? 

The prince noticed Kristoff's puzzled look and smiled lightly. His eyes seemed less hard, now. "Its just...I spend years and years thinking about who my mother is, and whether she was alive or not... I was named after my father, mostly for not raising suspicion with me being a bastard son... But anyway..." The prince stopped sharpening his knife and looked to the fantastic view of the Aurora Borealis. "I always wanted to have HER family name, instead of 'Westerguard'. Not that I'm not thankful for my father for raising me as his own... But that wasn't me." Hans chuckled. "Doesn't make sense, I know."

"No... I understand it completely" said Kristoff. He just wanted to know who he truly was... The Ice harvester suddenly snorted when a particular thought came to mind.

"What is it?"

"Hans Bjorgman sounds horrible."

Hans' laugh echoed wide and far. "Alright then... But I'm NOT going to call myself Hans Andersen-Bjorgman. Like you said, it is too long" chuckled the prince. it was quiet for a moment, untill the Ice harvester spoke again.

"What about Hans Andersen?"

The prince' eyes shone, and both men shook each others hands in comradery. "Perfect." Both men talked for many hours under the twinkling Northern Lights. After tonight, they wouldn't have that chance anymore.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Here you are guys! I had a ton of fun writing Hans and Kristoff's growing friendship... Things are getting more rough from now on. The Southern Isles are almost there! I'm so excited to write this event!

I know you are all probably wondering where Anna is... Don't worry, she will be back next chapter!

A second thing you might have noticed, Is that I haven't revealed yet how the Snow queen got captured in that magical urn...Keep theorizing, and don't hesitate to share your thoughts!


	15. Smash the Mirror (Part 1: Kill the Boy)

Arendelle, 1845.

As Hans and Kristoff bonded during that night, the young queen in her castle couldn't sleep as well. For the first time in decades, Arendelle would be at War again, and it costed great energy for the queen to oversee every aspect of the preparations. High Lords had to be informated about the latest news; War meetings with her generals about their strategics could go on for hours; Reports from her scouts came in, reporting Hans and Kristoff's journey to the North or about the Southern Army's whereabouts. So, it was understandable with all these things going on, Elsa didn't think much of her sibling during these stressful hours. Yes, she asked to Ingrid very so often where Anna was, but her aunt Always answered she hadn't returned yet. After another war meeting going on by 7 hours straight, the queen left the study room to try and get some rest. By going to her chambers, she encountered her Aunt, for the first time in days.

"My dear, you look exhausted" said Ingrid when she saw the bags under Elsa's two eyes. the two women walked side by side through the hall.

"Don't have to tell me..." said the queen while rubbing her forehead. "Still no news from Anna?" When Ingrid didn't answer, the queen looked up. "Did something happen to her?"

"I... I didn't wanted to tell you at first" hesitated her aunt. "She has returned, but something quite terrible has happened. Your sister...hasn't been entirely honest with you. She found out what your parents where looking for"

"Which was?" pressed the queen on. why wouldn't Anna tell me?

"A magical hat.. to take away your magic" said Ingrid with difficulty. "To cure you, of the very thing that makes you special."

Elsa swallowed heavily. She had Always known, deep inside her, what her parents were looking for. But to hear it out loud, was still a smash in her face. "So that's why they left. But why would Anna hide that from me?"

"For the same reason everyone else does... Eventually, they grow to fear us."

"Anna has Always supported me..." said the queen while swallowing her tears back. I thought she had accepted me ever since the Great Thaw... But apparently I was still the cold hearted sister who nearly got her killed twice. The shocked queen was taken out of her thoughts when Ingrid spoke.

"I felt that way..About my sister..your mother. Before she put me in that urn."

"My mother? She put you in that urn?" asked Elsa to be certain. "There must be some misunderstanding-"

"Anna, and your mother, called me a monster" interrupted Ingrid her quickly. "Anna tried the hat on me. Fortunately, I stopped her... But I fear she was very clear about our powers. She is exactly like your mother. She has never accepted you for who you truly are..." The Snow queen saw Elsa's confidence disintegrate, and she smiled inside herself. Good, little queen. Keep doubting yourself... Fear your decisions...In war, the leaders had to think clearly, without getting their emotions in the way. By breaking her trust in her family so close to the upcoming battle, the Snow queen had now accomplished the exact opposite."Are you okay?" asked the Snow queen with a worried voice. "I...I thought you deserved the truth."

"I rather want to be left alone, if that's okay." Elsa's voice cracked, as she was completely psychologically drained from this reveal. If The young queen had turned arround, she would have seen Ingrid smirking.

"Alright... I'll be near. In case you need me." said Ingrid while letting Elsa retire to her chambers. Those two sisters had made it so easy for her to destroy this kingdom... And now, our dearest Anna...

\---

Storybrooke, Present day.

"Hans..." the prince blinked and looked arround to see himself back in the Southern Isles. More precisely, in his bedroom. "Hallo sleepyhead..." Hans blinked again and saw Aliya, who was cuddling their child. 

"Hi honey...I'm home" smiled his wife while kissing him on the cheek. Eddard cooed and stretched his little hands out to his father, when suddenly he was taken backwards, back to his mother. 

"Aliya?" asked Hans confused. "What's wrong?" Hans had never seen his wife so angry as she was now.

"Did you think i was foolish Hans? That you could keep it a secret from me?" bit Aliya to the prince. 

"Hans?" The prince turned arround, to see Elsa in her night clothes."Who is she?"

"You sick lying bastard!" Suddenly Aliya and Eddard were getting grabbed by soldiers and the prince couldn't look away as their blood spilled on the floor.

"How could you do this?" whispered Elsa with tears in her eyes. "How could you just watch and do nothing! what kind of father lets his child die without resistance!"

"No! Elsa, I swear, I tried everything, I-" The prince looked in horror as Elsa got shot by arrows, thanks to the Weaselton guards. "NO!"

Hans woke up, not only from the dream, but also from his burning hands. the prince stood up, trying desperately to stop his magic. "Okay..." The prince tried to calm down, as it had worked last time in the forest with Elsa. Breath in, breathe out...breathe in, breathe out...It didn't work, it even worsened by the minute. What was wrong with him?!

"Hans?" The man turned arround to see Emma coming his way. Every time the woman took a step closer, the prince took one backwards.

"Don't come near me, Emma." said the prince as he felt his control slip away.

"We can help" said Emma, while slowly coming closer to him, as if he was a dangerous animal that had to be shushed.

"Help?" whispered the man. "Help?!" Pollen began to swirl again around the prince. "How can you possibly help? what can any of you do to stop me?" screamed the prince out of his lungs. "Nothing! You never can, you never have!"

"What do you mean?" asked Emma confused with the last sentence. It seemed to shock the prince for a bit, but he quickly hid it behind a stone mask.

"Nothing of your concern. Now for the last time, leave. me. alone." bit Hans with gritted teeth.

"Hans, we are worried about you. Elsa is worried about you." spoke the savior, trying to get through the prince. She had seen how fond the prince had become towards the queen. Maybe that could convince him...

It seemed only to upset Hans more. "Just LEAVE!" the prince waved his hands, and strong vines rose up before Emma. The savior raised her hands and her magic began to fight that of Hans'.

"AAAH!" Emma felt the pressure of the growing vines becoming too strong for her to fully block it. The force behind it was so great it caused Emma to fly several meters further before smacking hard on the ground. Hans stumbled back, suprise and fear was shown on his face. He never meant to hit her THAT hard...

"Emma..." The prince stopped running towards her, fearing he might cause more accidents.

"No, I'm fine." said Emma who stood up again. "Really, I'm..." Just then Emma noticed something warm trickle from her t-shirt and she looked down to see a large cut in her flesh.

"You must go. I promise, I find something to fix this, to undo all of it" said Hans guilty when he noticed her wound. When Emma didn't move from her spot, the prince waved his hands once more, and Emma jumped back from the blast. "Just go, now!"

The prince sighed in relief when the savior took the hint. While the woman spurted away the prince knew he had to do something about this magic. It became too uncontrollable, too unpredictable. It caused only pain... The prince swallowed. And pain, was something he wanted to forget and never feel again.

\---

Arendelle, 1845.

They didn't speak the next morning, not even while they ate their breakfast. The Ice harvester's hands trembled. He had been nervous all morning, and hadn't even eaten from his meal.

Hans noticed the man's trembling hands. "You're afraid?"

"I must be." confessed Kristoff.

"Good."

"Why is that good?" asked the ice harvester confused.

"It means you're not stupid." said the prince. "A man who isn't afraid to die, is a fool."

"But...how can you be so calm?"

The prince showed his shaking hands to Kristoff. "I'm not."

"You don't seem to look afraid from the outside." said Kristoff impressed by the prince' ability to hide his fear.

"It was vital to learn that, if you want to keep your men under your command confident..." said Hans. The prince' sentence, as well as many conversations arround the two cousins stopped when loud noises came nearby.

"That can' t be the Southern Isles..." said Kristoff while taking his weapon in his hand, just to be safe. "They are only a few hours away." Both men sprinted towards the disturbance and pushed a few people aside to watch what had happened.

"This is the best way, Lappekonen! The Southern Isles will be thankful for our help and leave us alone!" said Gunnar with a satisfied smirk.

"Oh, blind fool! Even with your Sight you can't see what's right in front of you!" said the wise woman.

"How dare you insult me! I'm one of you!" said the man angrily. "I saved our people!"

"What's going on?" asked Kristoff. Gunnar turned arround and saw Hans behind the bulky ice Harvester. "You are Lucky, boy. You don't have to fight today. None of us have to." yelled Gunnar across the camp. "I have pointed the princes to one of our secret passages. In return for our help, they will leave us alone while Arendelle burns to the ground!"

"WHAT?"

\---

As Gold came into his shop, he stopped for a moment to look at the scenery before him. Old paintings were covered with flowers, while his wooden table began to sprout new leaves again. Many objects lay now on the ground, as hard branches had pushed them off their stance. The man sneezed when the Pollen came into his nose. He was allergic to Hay fever...

"If you want to try to hide yourself from me...achoo!...You are doing a poor job, mister Westerguard." said Gold while rubbing his nose.

"I'm not." said the prince while coming out of the shadows. "I'm hiding from everyone else. I need your help Gold."

"What makes you think I'm your best option?" asked Gold after a short silence.

"Nobody can take me down." said the prince. In other circumstances he would have gleamed with joy. But now... "Emma tried, but it didn't work. I waved her away like a rag doll." shuddered Hans, thinking of what could have been if Emma hadn't been able to defend herself.

"What?"

"She's okay, she's gone home" said Hans quickly. "But this magic...It needs to stop."

"I believe... There is a way." said Gold while opening one of his many books.

"Fine. Do it" said Hans grimly.

"You haven't even heard what I have to say."

"I don't care what has to be done." snapped the prince while his Pollen began to become heavier in the room. "Do it."

"This spell...achoo!... can take away someone's magic if they want to part with it."

"So I'll be completely ordinary?"

"Yes..." Gold sniffed his nose and looked to the prince's glowing hand, which began to cause one of his precious books return to his original state, namely wood. The prince quickly took his hand off it while Gold continued.

Although it won't destroy you, It will destroy everything else in a city's block."

"Fine, fine..." answered the prince impatiently. "Somewhere else then, in the Woods."

"Very well." Gold took out a map and circled with a pen arround an abandoned mansion. "Meet me here at nightfall. I will have everything prepared."

The prince nodded before leaving just as quickly as he came in. "Thanks, Gold. Don't tell anyone I was here."

"Don't worry, dearie. This will be our little secret." smiled Gold, before he took out his handkerchief to blow his nose.

\---

Arendelle 1845.

They had left before dawn towards the place they wanted to attend the Southern army. Elsa didn't went to visit her younger sibling, still feeling hurt about Anna hiding such secrets from her . However, she couldn't stop herself from being worried about her; and so, she had asked to Ingrid to keep watch over her. The queen had disposed herself of her Ice dress she usually wore, and had let the blacksmith made an armor, suited to her size. It wasn't as heavy as those of the men of course, since she had to use her speed to her advantage. The braid she normally wore, was gone now too, and replaced by a long pony tail. "The Southerns are coming from this way..." said the queen while looking to the map. "If we make our stand here, at Twins peak..." The queen pointed with her finger. "we should be able to withstand the first wave of soldiers. We'd be on higher ground, so-"

"Your highness!" one of her spies spurted his horse between the tents, sweeped himself off his horse and hastily bowed his head for the young queen. "Forgive me my queen, but we have some disturbing news." The man's eyes stood wide with fear.

"What is it?" Elsa kept her voice even, although she felt she could fall down any moment like the exhausted man. The queen held her head high however, as she couldn't allow anyone to see her show any weakness.

"It's the Southern Isles, your grace. They apparently have found a short-cut through the mountains. They are now close to the Hjorundfjord." pointed the spy out on the map.

Elsa took a deep breath. The enemy had passed her, like two carriages on the same road, and wentnow almost straight to the capitol, without anyone to block their way. "Very well." with a wave of her hand, the queen gestured the spy to begone. The queen looked again to the map, trying to find another solution. There was still a small chance to win...if they acted quickly. " General Heimerson? Can we get to the Northern valley in time to cut them off from the castle' way?"

"The best place to meet them would have been at the Twins Peak, your grace." said the general. "With them taking the shortcut,...

"Do we get there in time?" interrupted Elsa boldy, as she didn't want to hear a over long explanation of tactics.

The general hesitated and Elsa knew enough. "Call the horns." As the soldiers outside heard the horn, they immediately sprung into action. "We are travelling light!" boomed the queen's voice across the camp. "Only take what is truly necessary! No spears, only swords, and small provisions for under the way! No pauses!"

The disciplined soldiers obeyed quickly and soon, the Ardellian army changed their course towards the Northern Valley.

\---

"You traitor!" Kristoff took Gunnar by his clothes, practically lifting the guy from the ground and began to punch him in the face. "I'll let the wolves eat your flesh!"

"Kristoff, no!" said Hans while putting his arm on the man's broad shoulder. "He doesn't deserve it."

"He does!" snarled Kristoff angrily. "He sentenced our people to death!"

"If he has to die, so must I. I'm a traitor too, remember?" said the prince softly. This caused the angry Ice harvester to think clear again. He let the man go, abeit with great disdain.

Gunnar laughed. "Good try, bastard!" The prince's eyes darkened at the last word. "Keep trying to convince these people you are a righteous man. But we all know what's underneath, don't we?" snarled the man into the prince's face. "A liar he is! He betrayed the queen he had sworn to serve! He betrayed the princess to whom he had sworn to protect the kingdom! and he did neither of those! Thanks to him, we are all in this mess!"

The people began to whisper when they heard the news, and soon, they began to turn against the prince too.

"He's no better then Gunnar!"

"Kill them both!"

"Quiet!" boomed Kristoff's loud voice across the camp. "You should thank him on your knees for warning and helping you! Yes, this man made mistakes in his life..." pointed Kristoff to the auburn-haired man. " but don't we all? Before you Judge another, look for yourself upon the Sight of God!" The ashamed Sami people went silent.

Now it Lappekonen who spoke to the Sami people, to calm them further down: "Don't you see Gunnar is trying to draw attention away from himself?! We're not putting him to death, because he doesn't deserve such mercy." Lappekonen waited until the crowd had turned his attention fully on him. "Let him crawl back to his new friends, and lets see if they are as merciful as we are!" The crowd was quiet for a moment, but then noises of agreement came forth. Two voluntary Sami people came forward to take Gunnar by his arms, when the man suddenly grabbed his dagger and pressed it against Hans' throat.

"Now, bastard, You will pay for all the misery you caused!" Gunnar began to step slowly backwards with his dagger against the man's adam's apple. He didn't kill him as he wanted to keep the young man as leverage. So, everyone stood there powerless to do something. Slowly, the man began to retreat from his people, further and further into the Woods, when he suddenly stopped. a low growl came from behind Gunnar's back, and Hans felt the dagger's pressure dissappear. The prince gasped relieved for air and looked to where the sound came from. He immediately wished he hadn't. 5 great, hungry wolves had smelled the delicious reindeer meat that was roasting on fire... The reindeer meat smelled fantastic to them, but the wolves couldn't resist a weak prey right before their noses...

Hans began to crawl back, searching desperately for a sharp stone to defend himself. The prince stopped however when the wolves attacked only Gunnar. His screams soon stopped as the wolves began to tear the man apart. That's strange...Wolves don't act like that. Normally they let the Alfa male go first... As Hans heard the Sami people come to his help, he noticed something else. The wolves didn't run away. They just stood there, without even eating from their prey...

"I'll let the wolves eat your flesh!" echoed Kristoff's voice inside Hans' head. Had he... Hans looked over his shoulder to see Kristoff standing there, with eerie white eyes. When Kristoff blinked, they returned to their normal blue, and the wolves dissappeared in the shadows.

\---

"Anna... wake up..." Anna clutched her head and groaned when she felt a throbbing pain. When she tried to open her eyes, she shut them immediately again, as the light was yet too bright to cope with. "Take it easy, dear. You were unconcious for a whole day. That fall really must have hurt..." Anna tried again, and this time, her eyes began to see slowly clear again. She looked to her right, to see the Snow queen standing by her bed.

"YOU!" Anna quickly crawled away while ignoring her sudden dizziness, to stand up at the other side of the bed. "You liar!"

"Excuse me?" spoke the sorceress calmly.

"You lied to me and Elsa! You're not our aunt!" The princess quickly took hold of a nearby candle as a weapon.

"No. i'm not." answered the snow queen.

"I don't believe you, you sick-wait, what? You...you just told me the truth?" asked Anna confused while keeping her candle in the air.

"Yes, my dear. I'm not your aunt." spoke the snow queen again. "But I did it with the best intentions."

Anna didn't believe the woman. "Is that so? How can I trust you when you lie so easily to us?"

"I just wanted to help Elsa to control her powers."

"Elsa has no difficulty anymore with them. that's Horse shit that you say."

"Really? I heard her say otherwise... but then again, It can be due to the upcoming war with the Southern Isles, along with her concern for Prince Hans, that's she's so stressed out lately..." spoke the snow queen casually. She hid her smirk when she saw Anna stiffen.

"What? A war?..." Anna lowered the candle in her hand, completely shocked by such news. "And prince Hans? He is supposed to be in prison!" Her blood ran cold when she thought again of that traitorous prince.

The snow queen gasped, pretending to be suprised. "O my... She didn't tell you?"

"No. she didn't" said the princess angrily. I thought there were no secrets anymore between us! The girl ignored her own secret she held against Elsa for the moment. Right now, her trust in her sister had shaken again on its pilars. "Where is she?"

"She's riding out with her troops at this very moment, dear. I'm afraid its not the good moment to..." The snow queen's sentence died off when the princess stormed off to look for her sister. Perfect.

\---

"Emma!" The group looked up when they saw the blonde woman come lastly in. "Are you okay? Did you find him?" asked Elsa immediately to her friend.

"Yes, I did...But he rather knocked me quite hard in the ribs" grimaced Emma while she held her hand against her wound.

"That needs to be patched up immediately" said Charming concerned as he led Emma to a nearby couch, while Snow began to look for some bands and alcohol to purify the wound.

"He's not well." said Emma honestly to the Ice queen. "I tried to calm him down... But it seems I only made it worse for him."

Elsa's eyes stood still concerned about the prince, but nevertheless she smiled to the blonde woman. "Thank you. Wether it's bad or good news, at least it's better then nothing."

When Emma frowned her brows, Elsa's eyebrows went up, but she stayed silent as she wanted to let the woman talk when she felt it was right.

"He said something... strange... He said he would find something to fix this, to undo all of it" The savior had a good memory as she quoted Hans word for word.

"What does that mean?" said a confused Snow while she held some alcohol against Emma's wound. Her daughter bit her lip as she felt it bite on her flesh.

"I think...he wants to get rid of his magic..." said Elsa softly, causing everyone to turn their attention to her. "That's what I wanted to do for so many years, before Anna helped me to accept them. He's scared, and so, he lashes out to people to turn them away." The queen spoke from her experience alone of course, but she suspected that it was the prince's anger that drove Hans to do such thing, just like Her Fear had once done the same to Anna.

Hook, who had been silent during the conversation, paled when he remembered the sorcerer's hat. "Did he say something about..an object? something that can take away his magic?"

"It doesn't matter how he does it" spoke Emma to the pirate. "What's important now, is that we stop him from doing so."

"Should we really? I mean, If it is still his choice..." spoke Snow out loud.

As Charming, Snow, Emma and Elsa argued, neither of them noticed Hook slip away via the front door. Alright Hans...Let me give a favor to you in return for the pain I caused you so many years ago...

\---

The Sami didn't bury Gunnar; the ground was too hard on this altitude to do so, and the animals would dig him up easily to eat his bones bald. And they couldn't waste any time. The Sami quickly put out their bonfires, packed their tents up and hid their materials in the woods, along with their precious reindeers. In just 10 minutes time, nobody would ever think there had been a camp at this place. The Sami moved quick, but silently to their posts as was agreed. Some of them hid in trees, while others, like Hans and Kristoff laid on the ground, with the pelts arround them so the cold would'nt affect them that much. Kristoff looked slightly up to see a wren fly his way.

Wood Whisperer, I found them! They are just arround the corner! chirped the bird while he flew before Kristoff. Hans, who didn't understand of course what the bird said to his cousin, raised his eyebrows up, asking silently what the wren told them.

Kristoff nodded to the prince. They were almost here...

\---

Anna fumed with rage as she single handedly readied her horse Kjekk."Give me 12 men to accompany me to the queen. I will not sit by and fight her battles alone!"

"Your highness! The queen gave you orders to stay in the castle! If she should die in battle, you're the the one to ascend the throne!" called one of the councillors while Anna secured her sheath and sword to her hips with a belt.

"now, I give YOU commands" bit the angry princess to the man. The princess sweeped her leg over her horse skillfully and stared the man down. "Open the gates, NOW!"

The councillor bowed, not being able to go against the princess's wishes and yelled to open the gates for the princess and the guards she had asked for. As the red-head spurted on her horse and guards to catch up with Elsa and her army, The princess let her mind wander off, to what the snow queen said.

Why did you hide all of this from me? About the war with the Southern Isles? what were you possibly thinking? thought the red-head to Elsa. I'm not that naive little girl anymore that dreamt of dashing princes and romantic sunsets... The princess thought again about the traitorous prince, and she gritted her teeth. I can still more or less understand why you wanted to spare me from the war... But why, for heavens sake, did you let that traitorous snake wander free?! He will probably be spilling the beans and give the Southern Army all the information they need! 

Anna's hand went to the hilt of her sword, to calm her nerves down.

"Your highness!" called one of the guards who accompanied her. "According to the latest Raven, the queen has changed her course to the Northern valley, instead of Twins peak."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know, your grace."

Anna knew enough of warfare to know it wasn't good. Why would Elsa suddenly change course, when they could choose the field they would fight? Unless something went really, really wrong... The princess spurted her horse on even further. "come on Kjekk! Heyah!" You have A LOT explaining to do, dear sister...

\---

I loved writing Elsa as a badass warrior-queen... And hey, Anna! There you are again! Next time will finally be the confrontation between the two Sisters!

For this chapter, I like to clear some extra things up:

1) Seeing your wife and child murdered before your eyes, is traumatic. Since Hans didn't talk about it, he surpressed these memories. It often happens that victims of traumatic experiences get an 'aftershock' later on in life, which Hans is now dealing with. His magic is out of control because he never got to cope with it.

2) The dream Hans has here, represents his inner conflict and is the second reason his magic spirales out of control. He has developed feelings for Elsa, but he still feels honour-bound to Aliya. He feels he betrays his wife, if he gives in to his feelings for the queen.

Anyway. Keep reacting, keep theorizing!

Love, TeamArendelle.


	16. Smash The Mirror (Part 2: Operation Rose)

Arendelle, 1845.

There was no shouting as the Sami people went towards the Southern invaders. The trees, as well as the bushes, protected them from being seen. When you had to hunt, you had to be quiet and invisible. Here there was no difference. Only they hunted now on a much bigger animal. Arrows were put silently on their bows and they stretched their arms in synchronisation, before releasing at the same time. Immediately, soldiers cried out in pain as they were hit in the chest. Others didn't scream at all. Before they hit the ground, they were already dead. Immediately the horses began to whine in fear as the generals tried to search from where the attack came from. As they looked arround, they saw another release of arrows come their way, and they yelled to their soldiers, giving instructions to kill those barbarians. While the troops tried to reformate and went galloping towards the small group of archers, they didn't see another treat from their other flank.

"GROOUWW!" Soldiers got swept from their horses when wolves began to bite and wound the horses the soldiers were sitting on. the footmen arround them got either crushed by the heavy weight of the animal, or bitten into the neck by the predators. The small passage was immediately blocked by fallen horses and mingled dead soldiers. As the wolves went on to attack, the suprise element began to wear off, and the Southerns began to answer with their pistols. Kristoff winced when he felt the wolves die in his mind, his glowing white eyes were wet with tears from the shared pain. shrieks came out of the sky and the invaders looked up, a grave mistake from their part. Eagles dove down on their faces, picking their eyes out and wounding the men with their sharp claws. Yet, their efforts weren't enough. A Sami woman screamed when a soldier shot her out of the tree. The harsh fall broke her spine, and caused her immediate death.

"shoot at sight!" boomed Hans voice while he readied his bow again. The young prince had to duck however when bullets flew barely next to his head. Other Sami weren't that Lucky as they got hit. The prince angrily gritted his teeth, and shot one of the soldiers right in his neck, causing the man to drown in his own blood. Hans looked down to his cousin, who was now completely away from the world arround him, concentrating on guiding the animals. "Get Kristoff out of here!" said the prince to one of the archers. Kristoff was completely vulnerable like this; Although the prince admired Kristoff's help, He feared it would cause the man too much of himself. Your gifts are powerful ones, but beware not to use them too much in a short amount of time. It can be intoxicating, the more you use it, the more you want. There have been many, who lost themself in the Sight or the Warg echoed Lappekonen's last advice in his head.

Hans let his bow fall on the ground, and reached for his daggers, as the invaders had almost reached them. "Chaaaarge!"

\----

Sounds can go swift and far in the mountains, and so Elsa looked up to the Horjundfjord as she heard the confrontation between the Sami and the Southerns. They are even closer then we thought they were... From where she stood, the young queen saw how the large army split in two: One part seemed to concentrate on the small resistance group above... while the other part went further down, to go into confrontation with The Ardellian army. The queen chewed her lip. Either they were extremely arrogant, or foolish, to split their troops in half. But then again, the small group fighting against the Southern Army was very few in numbers.

"My Queen! The Southern Isles are approaching!" called one of her generals in her private tent.

"I know, I'm well aware, Vice-general." said the queen to the young man when she recognised his status. "But there's no reason to be nervous. Our soldiers are already on their tip toes ever since we changed our course... We've made it in time, luckily. Let the men rest while they still can. They will need all their strength soon enough."

"Very well, Your highness." swallowed the nervous vice-general.

The queen glanced sideways to the man. He had to be arround her age, if not younger. "What is your name, general?"

"Wilhelm, Your Highness." said the man.

"Are you afraid, Wilhelm?" asked the queen while turning arround to see the man's reaction. "You may speak your mind."

"I...Yes, your Highness. I'm." said the man ashamed. "I..I have never been in battle before. I was chosen by my high-general to lead one of the legions."

"Chosen?" said the queen sharply.

"Forgive me for those wrong words, your highness." said the young man quickly. "My general couldn't find anyone else capable enough to lead, so they elicted me."

The queen frowned at what Wilhelm told her. "From which region are you, Wilhelm?"

"Bergen, Your highness."

Bergen... Those regions were being led by general Heimerson, along with those from Hunzen and Umbras... Thought the queen with pressed lips. How could he give the commands to such a inexperienced boy? The queen turned her attention back to the young man. "You are dismissed Vice-general."

The vice-general quickly fled the queen's tent, leaving the queen alone in her thoughts. Chosen...couldn't find anyone else capable enough... The queen took a small sip from her wine while looking to her map on which multiple pieces were set. It seems, in all those years of peace, they have become comfortable in their halls and seats. I should have done something about it sooner. Elsa remembered how her dad kept his soldiers alert by letting them train daily. This still happened in the capitol city of course, but apparently, the smaller regions like Bergen, had become lacky in discipline. It was too late to deal with the High lords about this of course. The tired queen sighed. Right now, she wished someone was by her side, someone who knew how to lead, to give her honest advice instead of trying to get into good graces with her. She was their queen, yes, but she had seen how the High lords had looked to her. A woman shouldn't be leading a war... It was written all over their faces. Elsa's mind travelled back to Anna. Perhaps They were right. Perhaps she shouldn't lead. If Anna couldn't trust her, how could she expect her men to follow her?

\---

"Regina! We've tried to call you all night to search for that locator spell!" said Charming to the Evil queen when she stormed in.

"Well, sorry I don't jump at every summon!" said Regina while putting the little glass bottle on the table. "Now, how's Emma?"

"She's alright..." Snow continued, but at a quieter voice. "You might want to finish buttoning your t-shirt."

"Oh" Regina hastily buttoned her t-shirt. "Well...i have been busy."

"So, what do we have to do with it to make it work?" asked Elsa who took the little bottle carefully in her fingers.

"We have to sprankle it over something that belonged to that person..." said Charming. "Is there something belongs of Hans?"

"There is..." said Elsa, and to everyone's astonishement, she went into her room, to retrieve the white mediëval undershirt of the prince.

"It seems I'm not the only one who has been busy" commented Regina to Snow when Elsa came back. Henry looked puzzled to his mother, not fully understanding what she meant.

"What, no!" The queen's face went red. "No, there's never...I mean, we slept together once when I had that nightmare a few nights ago, but..." I have to shut my mouth. realized the queen when she noticed Henry's wide eyes. There are children present. Elsa wished she could dissappear at this very moment like the Snow queen could. To keep her dignity, the Ice queen quickly put the liquid on the shirt that began to fly up and away to the door, that was followed immediately by the large group.

\---

Anna looked down to the large camp beneath her. She was almost there... Human and horse were exhausted from the long ride, and right now, the princess wished nothing more then some food and a warm bed. At least, that's what her body wanted. Her mind was still focused on confronting her Sister and demanding her an explanation.

"Just a little further, Kjekk." whispered the princess to her tired horse. The animal's ears went up when he heard his mistress' voice and after a soft kick in his belly, the horse rode forward. Her soldiers who had accompanied her during the trip, were just as exhausted when they reached the camp.

"Its the princess!" yelled the guard from his hiding spot. "Its princess Anna! Let her through!" The camp quickly roused with anticipation as the men tried to guess as for why the young woman was here.

"Princess Anna, your highness!" One of the generals Anna didn' t know the name of, came forward to help her from her horse. "Why are you here? The queen demanded you to stay-"

"I know I had to stay in the castle, General!" said a prickly princess hoarshly due to her tiredness. "I want to see my sister immediately. Where are her private tents?"

"There are up the small hill, your highness, but she gave orders she didn't want to be disturbed by anyone" said the general while trying to keep up with the princess' large steps. "Not even by you."

"We'll see about that." said the red-head as she approached the queen's tent. As she wanted to enter however, the two guards before her blocked her way with their shields. "Get out of my way." spoke the princess as authorative as she could. "I demand audience with my sister"

"You are not allowed to enter, your highness." spoke the guard emotionless.

"I'm her sister." said Anna annoyed with the guards delaying her. "And princess of Arendelle. You sworn to obey the royal family are you not?"

"Yes." spoke the guard without flinching.

"Then you have to obey me as well."

"I'm sorry, your highness, our loyalty lays first and foremore to your queen. Only death can relief us from our oath."

The princess groaned in desperation. She had to warn Elsa about Ingrid, Holy cats! She had to stop that woman somehow!

"your Highness?" Anna turned arround, to see the general who had accompanied her with her horse. "The Queen has already set up a tent, just in case you should arrive." The man pointed to a tent nearby that of Elsa's.

"Oh..." As much as Anna wanted to speak with Elsa, she felt she could use something to eat or drink. "Tell her to thank her, will you?"

"Of course, your highness."

\---

"CROCODILE?" screamed Hook angrily when he barged into the shop. "WHERE ARE YOU?" As the pirate looked arround, he saw how many things were out of order, and not as neat as they stood before. One particular thing drew his attention; A book that was in the state of disintegration into wood. what was standing out most however, was a handpalm, made out of mint-smelling grass. Hans had been here... As the pirate looked further, he saw the map of Storybrooke with on it a circled mansion. That must be where Gold is...and with any luck, Hans too. The pirate sprinted out of the shop, hoping he was able to be in time to help the prince.

\---

Kristoff gasped and jolted awake as he was taken out of his Warg state. The ice harvester coughed, while trying desperately to catch his breath. "I told you, boy, not to go too deep!" said Lappekonen angrily. "It costed me a lot of energy to get you back!"

"I needed to" cracked Kristoff. "We have to win time!"

"Which you can't do when you are dead!" snapped Lappekonen angry, as well as worried for the boy.

"I have to go back!" Kristoff ignored the pain in his head and tried to stand up. "If something happens to Hans-"

"Don't worry boy. that cousin of yours is still alive and kicking." said Lappekonen while she gave Kristoff a cup with a strange liquid. "Drink up, It will stop your headache and exhaustion."

As Kristoff swallowed the drink, he began indeed to feel better. His pale face had gained again some colour, and the fog in his mind cleared. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, boy. There is still a war to be fought. I hope we'll see each other after tonight"

Kristoff paused in the doorway, as he remembered the woman had the Sight. The ice harvester shook his head and began to run towards the battle. It didn't matter anyway. What was written in the future, was in God's hands. If it was his fate to die tonight, then so be it.

"Hans!" Kristoff saw Hans slightly look towards him, before focusing again on his enemy.

"Glad to see you're all right!" yelled Hans over the great noises. The prince blocked the man's sword, as he held the two daggers like a cross above him. The man was suprised to see Hans able to block his swing, but before he could do anything next, the prince swiftly sliced the man's throat.

Kristoff stepped now in front of the tired prince to give the man some break, as he had been fighting on for hours. "You look terrible"

Hans chuckled as he parried another soldier. "I'm not winning the prize for best-looking man of the year, that's for sure!" Hans was now going on pure adrenaline and years of intense training. As he slew another man down, he wondered for a brief second how many men he had killed already. He had lost count when he was arround 70. The prince looked back to his next enemy and he felt his blood run cold.

"Hallo Hans." smirked Andreas as he attacked his half-brother.

Hans quickly reacted and bended his spine backwards, causing Andreas' sword to miss his head barely. The prince however began to lose his balance, and fell down thanks to one of the many dead corpses on the ground. A spear lay in his sight, and so the prince quickly took hold of it, to block Andreas' sword again.

Hans heard Kristoff yell at him. "No, its fine!" roared Hans over the battle sounds. "I deal with him myself!"

"now" snarled Hans as he kicked Andreas in between his legs, causing the other man to squeal and stumble back in pain. "I have waited a long time for this!"

The auburn-haired man stood up again, while taking his defensive stance. Andreas' eyes had widened when he barely recognized his bastard-brother. Only less then a week had passed, but Hans had indeed changed enormously. His grey coat was gone, and replaced by the dark green-purple colours of Arendelle. His face had begun to show some stubble as he hadn't managed to razor his face. The provisions Kristoff had brought with him, hadn' t been enough to satisfy his body to keep his fat, and so, Hans seemed slimmer now, making his muscle mass stand out more profoundly.

"You look disgusting, brother. You look like one of those savages." said Andreas as they parried each other again.

"Why are you so concerned with that?" said Hans calmly as he parried the high swing that came to his left. Hans was now close to his half-brother's face, and the prince punched the man with his elbow, causing Andreas' nose to crack. "You should be more worried about your own life."

The two prince's swords met again as the battle raged on.

\---

"Henry?" groaned Emma as she had fallen asleep on the couch.

"I'm here, mom" spoke the kid worried.

"What I'm I doing here...i should be helping the others, trying to find Hans..ah!" The savior winced as she felt the wound Hans had unwillingly caused.

"They left you to rest for a few hours." said Henry while he tried to keep his mom in her bed. "And it looks like you still need it."

"I don't need rest, don't be ridiculous." said Emma as she pushed Henry's hand softly from her. "Where are they headed?" When Henry didn't answer, Emma turned arround to face her son. "Henry, please. Tell me. And don't lie. I know when you're lying."

Henry sighed. "They went into the direction of the Western Woods."

"Thanks, kid." Emma began to run towards the door, but stopped when she didn't hear her son follow her. "Well...Are you coming with me or not?"

Henry's face broke into a grin, and so, mother and son walked together outside as they went on another Operation.

"What operation should we call this?" asked Emma.

"Uhm...Well, since it involves Hans, and has to do with flowers and such..." thought Henry while they walked into the quiet night. "Operation Rose."

"Why Rose?" asked Emma when she heard the strange name.

"Well, since Hans is Gerda's son, according to the tale...And since Gerda liked Roses so much. I thought it was fitting for him." shrugged Henry.

Mother and son laughed softly as they continued to search for Hans, as well as the large group ahead of them.

\---

The Snow Queen studied the necklace in her cave, turning it arround and arround her her pale fingers. Why wasn't the Wishing Star working? The woman Pressed her bloodless lips together in a thin line, thinking hard what she was missing out.

"Only those with pure hearts can use it..." whispered the Snow Queen as she realized the solution. The cold sorceress waved her Mirror, and looked upon the scene before her. They were almost by the Mansion where that prince was headed and would be in time to stop him from being exposed to the Hat. Unless... something delayed them. The Snow Queen smirked. She could provide that... And along with the boy's demise, She would have her key to the Golden Child at last.

\---

Unknown to Elsa, the Charmings or Regina, Emma and Henry weren't that far behind them. As they followed the floating t-shirt, Regina and Snow began to talk.

"So...Are you going to tell me about Robin hood?" asked Snow.

"There's not that much to talk about. Whatever is working against my happiness is more powerful then I am."

"Against you? Look at me and David, there were so many obstacles we had to face, but we got through it" tried Snow to be encouraging.

"Easy for you to say. You're the heroes. Whenever you need help it just magically pops up like Henry's book."

"Its...the way of the universe. when you do something good, it will grant you something to help you." Snow took Regina's arm to stop her from walking. Not wanting to interrupt this private conversation, Elsa and Charming respectfully passed them.

"You have come too far, Regina. I believe in forgiveness, and a chance of grace. I mean, look at what's happening between Hans and Elsa. Elsa seems to have forgiven that guy, despite what he did to her and her sister." nodded Snow to the ice queen before her.

"I have done far worse then that ginger boy."

"Yes. Yes you did...But you have also seen me, Regina, as a spoiled selfish little child. You have literally seen my heart. And you know its not untouched. I'm not purely good, just as you aren't purely evil. Everyone is defined by their actions, not by who they are. You've made bad choices, Regina. But throw a little love their way, and it bring out the best." smiled Snow. "You have brought out the best in you."

"You honestly believe that?"

"Its not me who has to believe it. It's you Regina" With that said, walked Snow back to the group. The black-haired woman stopped however when she heard Regina's Phone ring.

"Hallo, who is this?" spoke Regina as she took the call.

"Regina! Its me!" Robin's muffled voice spoke from the Phone. "There is something really important I found, that you have to come and see right away!"

"Right now? I don't know, I'm in the middle of something-" Regina looked up to Snow when she touched her arm.

"Go. It sounds important." said Snow. "We'll be alright."

"I owe you a quarter." Regina took again the Phone to her ear and answered. "I'll be there in 10 minutes."

\---

Anna paced from one side of her tent to another. God... Anna became more nervous by the minute as she was waiting to get an audience with her sister.

"Excuse me?" called Anna to her guards. "Can you let me pass, please? I want to speak my sister."

"I'm afraid that's not possible at this moment, your highness."

"Why not?" spoke the princess.

"She's having an audience with her aunt, your highness."

Anna paled at the guards' words. O no, she's with Ingrid! What lies will that woman tell her now?! The red-head's face paled ever further when she realized what Ingrid had done. She had distracted me by telling her Elsa's secret. I was so mad for a second I couldn't think clear. She's probably doing the same with Elsa! She used our secrets, and plays it out so we distrust each other! While we actually should be concentrating on the Southern Isles! I have to get to Elsa, and expose Ingrid, before Elsa doesn't believe me anymore!

The princess took her sword and carefully, so the guards wouldn't hear her, began to cut into the tent. When the cut was large enough to pass through, the princess crawled out of the tent and began to search for her sister.

\---

"Mom! I think I see them over there!" pointed Henry out when he saw the flashlights of Charming and Snow. "Come on!" As Henry wanted to sprint to the group, a sudden Snow storm smacked both him and Emma on the ground.

"What's happening?" yelled Henry as he searched for his mother's hand to hold on. The Snow made it impossible to see anything nearby.

"Henry?! Where are you?" Emma couldn't see either as she waved her hands in front of her.

The Charmings and Elsa had to face the exact same problem.

"Snow?! David?!" yelled Elsa as she focused her magic arround her to see through the storm. "Where are you?" The Ice queen stretched her hands up in the air, and a giant blast came from the queen's hands as she managed to clear the storm a little. Elsa sighed relieved when she saw David and Snow holding each other's hands.

"Elsa!" shuddered Snow from the sudden cold. "You're...o-o-okay?" stuttered the woman as her teeth began to shatter.

"Yes, I am." yelled the ice queen through the storm. " It appears the Snow Queen is trying to stop us from reaching Hans!" Elsa took hold of Snow's other hand and tried to find the shirt. "Have you seen the locator?"

"There!" yelled David hoarsh as the cold began to affect his voice. the man pointed to the shirt, that, thanks to the magical spell, went on straight through the Snow queen's storm.

As the three tried to walk forward with the harsh wind, It was more and more difficult to go on. Elsa tried everything in her might to keep the Charmings immune to the cold as she focused on chanelling a small part of her magic through the couple's veins. It was a small trick that she had discovered a year ago, when she had tried to help Anna warm up after she had fallen into the not so iced over lake. It was then that Elsa had discovered that she could give a part of her immunity to the cold on to other people, if she concentrated hard enough. Besides keeping the Charmings from freezing, Elsa also had to concentrate on clearing the path, AND keep track of the locator.

The Charmings saw how the Ice queen struggled to concentrate and they both made their decision at the same time. "Elsa!" The ice queen turned arround to the couple when she heard her name.

"Get to Hans! Before the Locator is out of your sight!" yelled Charming.

"What?! I can't just leave you two here alone!" said Elsa shocked. "If I don't protect you both, You'll freeze here!"

"Don't worry about us!" yelled Snow while she took her hand out of Elsa. Immediately as she let go, the Charmings became vulnerable to the cold once again. "KEEP GOING!"

With tears in her eyes, grateful for their sacrifice, the Ice queen turned her attention back on the locator. As she took a deep breath, young woman waved her hands once more. The storm began to split into a path as the Ice queen concentrated on making her way through the storm.

\---

"Henry!" cried Emma. The savior tried to blast her way through the storm, but her magic didn't help against that of the Snow queen's. "Henry!"

"Mom!" Emma turned arround to see Henry walk towards her, abeit with difficulty from the harsh wind that seemed to held them apart. The savior however looked sideways when she saw the Snow queen walk towards them. It was as if she was walking on a quiet street instead of a wild snow storm; She wasn't fazed by the cold, nor by the harsh wind that was knocking Emma and Henry nearly of their feet.

"You stay away from him!" treatened Emma when the Snow Queen advanced upon them. With an almost annoyed expression, waved the icy sorceress her hand and Emma was blasted away several meters, out of Henry's sight.

"Mom!" Henry gasped in pain when he felt the Snow Queen's nails dig into his shoulder and the kid fell on his knees as the pain worsened.

"Hush, boy." The kid shuddered in fear when he looked into the ice cold eyes of the Snow Queen. "I won't hurt you. Yet." As the Snow Queen dissappeared with Henry, so did the storm arround Emma.

"Henry?" Emma spit out the blood in her mouth as she tried to sit up again. she groaned when her body protested, causing the woman to black out from the burning pain. "Henry..."whispered Emma before slipping back into darkness.


	17. Smash the Mirror (Part 3: When you wish upon a star...)

Arendelle, 1845

The two brothers were dancing with their swords as they tested each other's endurance and agility. When they were younger, all the princes were trained by the same instructors. Despite this, every swordsman took on his own, unique style of swordfighting, and as they became more experienced with the sword, they also let the princes fight against each other. Thus, it was no suprise that the two half-brothers knew each other's moves, techniques, strengths and, more importantly, their weaknesses. And this time, there was no teacher to stop one from killing the other, as had often been attempted during their youth.

Andreas and Hans were truly opposites. Being the 5th prince, Andreas was still 'high' enough to be noticed on court, but not enough to be actually accepted by his older siblings. So, Andreas took it upon himself to be noticed by being the strongest of the 13 princes. If you gave the man Sami clothes, you wouldn't honestly think he was from the South, as he had the same physique as the bulky Ice harvesters. He was feared greatly by both his younger siblings as his older ones. It was no suprise that the King had appointed him to join the military forces.

As the 13th prince, Hans often had to endure his siblings' harassments. The runt of the pack learned soon to be quick and tactful. On more then one occasion, Hans avoided being beaten by climbing in the large lemon trees in the palace' gardens. He Always was on the run, giving him sturdy legs as time went on. It couldn't always be avoided however. When he began to wrestle with the sailors in his academy years, it caused his upper body to buff out as well. It wasn't anywhere near that of Andreas of course, but Hans Always had managed to stay as far away as possible from the bulky man.

Despite being able to block Andreas, the prince now ducked and evaded his opponents attacks, knowing very well he couldn't keep up that long with the strong swings. Unlike Hans, had Andreas a large two-handed sword with him. Normally such a sword was only used for beheadings and it was very heavy to lift up. It gave Andreas a wide range as an advantage though. I have to get closer if I want to get to him... When Andreas swung again, Hans suddenly went into the 'death circle', which caused his brother to be confused. the short distraction was al Hans needed and now it was Andreas who was thrown into defense, as he couldn't use the efficiency of his large sword in such a short range. The moves from Hans were quicker, and less predictable to see for his brother, who had only relied on his brute strength for so many years.

It didn't mean he was beaten already. Andreas knew that his younger sibling was horrible in his footing. Ironic if you knew Hans was a sailor, where it was crucial to have a great balance. the heel found his way to Hans' knee, causing the younger man to scream in pain. Another punch in Hans' face caused him to fall back on the ground.

"Ah, Hansy... Did your mother never tell you not to play with toys?" laughed Andreas as Hans saw stars before his eyes. "O, wait. she couldn't. 'cause she's dead!" roared the man because of his sick joke.

Hans screamed again when Andreas stood with his heel on the prince's arm, nearly breaking the bone. The young prince could vaguely make out the metal of the sword, shining above him. "Goodbye, Bastard!"

\---

Storybrooke, present day.

"Gold?" shouted the prince as he entered the Mansion. "Gold, are you in here?" The nervous prince looked arround, flinching as he noticed thick branches with green leaves began to spread up the walls. As Hans entered another chamber, he noticed a strange glow from under the closed door in front of him. His instincts began to scream. Stay away from that door! don't go near it! Hans shook his head as he went closer, ignoring the bells going on in his head. Don't go! don't go! His magic seemed to answer just as angsty, as mint leaves began to appear arround his clenched fists, causing them to glow soft green.

"There is no need to shout" The prince looked backwards, and saw Gold standing a few feet away from him. "I'm right here." Hans began to walk towards Gold, but was stopped when Gold spoke again. "I hope you don't mind if I stand a little further away. It seems your magic gets more unpredictable by the minute."

"Yeah. It was a rough night" said Hans while his hands shook from keeping his powers in. "So, what do I need to do?"

"I have already casted that spell in that room over there" pointed Gold out as he nodded to the room. "All you have to do is simply walk in." Gold noticed Hans' hesitation. "Is something wrong?"

"No, well, Yes..." said the prince, not knowing how to start. "Something tells me...not to do this. It's like...my magic wants me not to go in." THe prince frowned at that phrase. "Sounds weird, I know. I can't explain it any other way."

"I can understand it more or less." said Gold patiently. "Like I told you before, Magic is, in a way, alive. It wants to hold on to its wielder. That's why you feel so unsafe right now." Gold saw how the prince' became convinced of his words.

"Is it safe? Will I be okay?" asked the auburn-haired man.

"Magic is never safe. Not even magic to take away magic." answered Gold. Come on, boy! stop asking stupid questions and go through that door! "This is your choice. It is what you want, don't you?"

"Yes" said Hans. It was shortly silent between the two, before Hans asked another question. "What would you do?"

"I wouldn't go in there for any reason." spoke Gold immediately.

"Why?" Hans couldn't understand the man. Sure everyone would ,just like him, try to stop the destruction they caused?!

"I'm not like you. I'm a selfish man, who makes very bad decisions." Hans' eyebrows went up with that remark.

"You're talking to the wrong guy about such things Gold. I have my sins too."

Gold chuckled. If He didn't need him, he would have genuinely liked the prince. "Indeed. But, I know for myself, that I will Always chose power. I know, that that part of me will never change. But you Hans... You've changed. you will do the right thing."

Hans turned back to the door, swallowing the bile away in his mouth.

\---

"Get away from my cousin!" the blonde Ice harvester smacked his full body against that of Andreas, making them both fall on the dead corpses. Andreas lost his sword during the harsh fall, and was now trying to defend himself from Kristoff's huge fists. Soon, the 5th prince' face wasn't that cute anymore. "Did I ever tell you that Red really suits you?" growled Kristoff as he heaved the bloodied man up to his knees. The green eyes of the prince stood almost black as he approached the murderer of his wife and child. The auburn-haired man punched Andreas on the jaw. "That's for my wife!" Another punch from Hans caused a few of Andreas teeth to fly out. "And that's for Eddard!"

Andreas' eyes widened when Hans took hold of the two-handed sword. "Hans...You...You wouldn't do that would you? I...we...we're family!"

"Funny" spoke his half-brother merciless. "I believe you said we weren't." As Hans wanted to swing the huge sword, he was stopped by Andreas' pledge:

"No, Hans, please! I promise, I do anything! I'll do anything!"

"And this..."

TSSSSJJJJJK! The sword went down and Kristoff averted his eyes, expecting Andreas' head to be cut off...when suddenly he heard Andreas scream. "This is for you!" did Kristoff hear Hans say. The ice harvester looked back down to the man, who's sword hand had been cut off by Hans. Andreas howled from the pain as he held his hand across his stump.

"Oh, quit your whining!" snarled Hans as he took the man's handless arm carelessly, causing Andreas to scream even harder. The young prince bandaged the man's stump to stop the man from bleeding to death. "Be happy I chose to spare your life!" After that said, the prince punched the man knock out.

Kristoff didn't say anything as the prince walked back to the continuing battle, still shocked by what he had said. his wife? Kristoff's mind went back to a few nights before:

"Let's just say my...brothers have another way of treating their women"

"Who was she?" 

"Excuse me?"

"Who was it they laid their hands on?"

Good lord in Heavens... Kristoff glanced sideways to the auburn-haired man.

what made you do it?"

"I wanted to forget. No. Not forget. Just...let the past behind."

Kristoff shook his thoughts out of the past and tried to concentrate on here and now. "Watch out!" Again, Kristoff saved Hans' life just in time as he blocked the soldier's sword. Kristoff glanced to Hans, who's eyes had begun to glow again. The ice harvester quickly pushed him backwards to prevent the prince from being hurt.

The prince blinked again as he came back to reality. "Kristoff! use one of the beans to get to Elsa's private tent!"

"What?" yelled the blonde man.

"Use one of the beans to get to Elsa! She and her army are below us! Search for the urn, Anna is searching for it too! She'll be in grave danger if you don't go to her now!" The prince pushed Kristoff back as the Ice harvester backed down to reach into his pocket. As he stood more or less out of the heated battle, The ice harvester smashed the bean on the ground.

\---

Anna sighed relieved as she had made it to Elsa's tent, unnoticed by the guards. While she tried not to make a sound, she pushed her ear against the tent's wall, trying to listen to Ingrid's and Elsa's conversation. The red-head frowned when she didn't hear anything, when suddenly her ears picked up Elsa's voice, somewhat further in the Woods. Anna sneaked carefully to the voices and knelt behind a nearby bush. Her heart broke when she heard her sister cry.

"Shh, my dear... Everything will be alright" spoke the Snow queen as she held Elsa to her chest. Soon, it will be over, sweet Elsa of mine. Then you don't need to worry about anything. The silver-haired woman sighed. How great her urge was now to pierce Elsa's chest with her icicles.

"You were right" whispered Elsa through her tears. "You were right about everything."

"I feel just as awful as you, my dear. She looked such a lovely girl to me"

Anna couldn't bear watching this any longer. If she stayed, she was quite sure she would try to punch that so called 'aunt' of her's in the face. Many years ago, I was trapped in an urn by people who didn't exactly understand me. Anna sneaked back and went into her sisters tent by making a large cut in the wall. Maybe... it was here.

"MMMM!" Anna felt a large hand on her mouth and tried desperately to break free from the strong hands.

"SSSH, feisty pants!" whispered a very known voice.

Anna's eyes widened. Kristoff? wasn't he with Prince Hans up North?

"Now, I'm going to let you go" whispered the blonde ice harvester. "Don't yell at me, otherwise the guards will notice us." Slowly, the Ice harvester took away his hand that covered Anna's mouth.

Anna turned arround to face her fiancé and was shocked when she was his tired, dirty face. "Kristoff? Are you okay?" The princess quickly went to a bloody cut on his forehead.

"It's not mine" said Kristoff quickly. "Hans sent me here to find that urn where Ingrid was trapped in."

"Hans?" asked the princess a bit too loud, causing Kristoff to shush her down again. When the princess was calm again, she asked again. "Why did he? And how did you get here so fast from the fjord?"

"Long story. I'll tell you when we are in a more appropiate place." said Kristoff to stop Anna's burning questions. "Right now, we need to find that urn."

"Right..."

Both began to search into the tent, looking under Elsa's table, her bed, in a few barrels even.

"I got it!" whispered Anna excited when she waved the urn.

"And what are you planning next, my dear?" the couple stiffened when they heard Ingrids voice and quickly crawled out of the tent before either Elsa or Ingrid could notice them.

"Well, I was planning on..." Elsa's muffled voice dissappeared as Anna embraced her fiancé for the first time in days.

"I've missed you" cried Anna as she felt his warm embrace again.

"I did too, feisty pants. I did too" The couple quickly ran away though, as they didn't want to get caught by the guards.

"Now, tell me all that has happened while you were away."

"I had to warn you." began Kristoff. "About Ingrid. She's not your aunt."

"I knew that already" explained Anna quickly as they sat down by the great lake. "So, how did you get here?"

"Lappekonen..." Kristoff stopped the princess from asking who Lappekonen was. "Patience. Lappekonen gave me two magic beans, and one of it I have already used to get here."

"You said something about Hans telling you to go..." asked the princess puzzled.

"Ah, yes. Hans has magic too. Although we can't really call it that way... its more like a gift that we call the Sight. It means he's able to have prophecized dreams about past, present or future"

Anna's eyes widened when Kristoff revealed more and more about his quest with Hans to get up North. He told her how Hans saved Elsa from getting killed, how Hans and he were related as cousins; the death of Gunnar and how he was leading now the Sami people against the Southern Isles on the fjord. I guess that snake really has changed for the better...

"So, how has it been here? I believe the Southern Army is almost here in a few hours..." said Kristoff as he glanced towards the large army descending from the mountains.

"I... I doubted Elsa." the princess broke into tears. "I was so hurt about her keeping those secrets from me..." Kristoff took the crying princess in his arms, trying to comfort her a little. "The worst thing is: I let Ingrid manipulate me..." Anna chuckled through her tears because of her own naievity.

"Anna...She will forgive you when you tell her everything about her parents."

"How do you know?"

"If Elsa can pardon a man who tried to kill her, I'm sure she can do the same for her sibling who held something from her for good intentions." Kristoff wiped Anna's tears from her cheeks.

The princess looked down the urn and the fire in her eyes returned once again. " Ingrid has to be locked away in that urn. Forever. I will not allow her to hurt me or my sister ever again!" The fire dissappeared for a moment though as Anna began to doubt herself again. "How did mom and dad do this? How did they know what was right or wrong for their country?" Anna stared back on the giant lake while taking hold of Elsa's wedding gift. "I wish I knew their final words..."

Suddenly the couple had to close their eyes from a large white blast in front of them.

"What in Heaven's name?" called Kristoff out as they saw a bottle before their eyes.

"Its a message..." said Anna as she examined the bottle. The princess clashed the bottle against a tree and took the paper out. Just as she wanted to read it, a horn called loud and clear across the camp. This wasn't good... They were here already! The paper was quickly folded into her bundle, and both the princess and Kristoff ran towards Elsa's tent. Good Lord in Heaven, please let me not be too late to warn my sister! Anna's eyes went up to pray the Almighty for strength.

\---

Elsa stood not in front of her army, but behind it. Not that she was a coward, but she wanted to have a good look from every angle.

"Elsa!" The guards prevented the younger sibling to go any further when she wanted to speak with her sister.

"Anna? What are you doing here? The Southerns are almost going to attack, you need to leave!" Elsa forgot for a moment her dispute with her generals as her worry took over and with a wave of her hand, she commanded her guards to let her sister go.

"No, I'm not. I'm not going, Elsa." The princess thought she was out of tears already after this night. Apparently not. "I know you kept Hans a secret from me."

Elsa's face paled. "I..."

"No, Its alright. I was not angry, but sad that you didn't told me because I wanted to help you. I wanted to be by your side, just like we Always did before. And I'm so, SO sorry I kept a secret too. I-" 

Elsa's eyes became watery too. "Ingrid told me. I know about our parents. I have to apologize too, Anna. I should have told you about Hans, but I was afraid to tell you. I wanted to keep you out of this war, to avoid that you would ever see such horrible things."

"Elsa, I'm not a little girl anymore." laughed and cried Anna at the same time. "I have seen worse."

"I realize that now." smiled Elsa while tears went down her cheeks. " I know now I have to treat you like the woman you have become. Will you forgive me for shutting you out once again? "

"Its what sisters do" The two sisters embraced each other, crying each other's shoulders wet from happiness.

"My dear, why are you listening to that girl? She tried to attack me and called you a monster." Unknown by the two sisters, the Snow Queen had silently turned up.

Anna turned her burning gaze to the Snow Queen. "You're not our aunt. You have no right to speak out of turn!" Anna turned her attention back to Elsa. "I didn't attempt that, nor did I say such things! I was unconcious the whole time while you were readying the troops!"

Elsa looked from her sister back to Ingrid. "Is that true?"

"My dear, your sister is clearly still exhausted."

"I'm not." growled Anna.

"Do you have proof?" said the sorceress coldy. "To make such assumptions is quite unsuitable at this time, don't you think?"

"I can give you proof!" boomed Kristoff's voice while he came forward.

"Kristoff?" Elsa looked shocked to her soon to be brother-in-law. "How..."

"Hans has the Sight" began Kristoff carefully while he held the urn out of Ingrid's gaze . "And as you know, the Sight never lies. We both shared the same vision, that you weren't Queen Idunn's sister."

"Don't believe that stupid Sami boy, Elsa. He's probably gone mad from seeing those visions. He can't think clear anymore." said the Snow Queen to Elsa. The queen however had heard enough from her so called 'aunt'.

"Yes, I believe Kristoff. And yes, I believe my sister as well." spoke the queen angry while she stood in-between the Snow Queen and Anna. "I don't care who you really are, but I want you to leave. Now." The Ardellian queen turned her back towards the Snow Queen.

"Elsa look out!" yelled Kristoff as he saw the Snow Queen attack his sister-in-law from behind. The young queen turned arround, ready to defend herself, when the Snow Queen suddenly took her up; making both her and Elsa disintegrate in a cloud of snowflakes.

\---

"Hans!" yelled Hook as he was the first to arrive by the Mansion. The pirate was so focused on his task to find Hans, he didn't notice the gigantic storm near him. Nor did he notice Gold lurking in the shadows.

"Watch your step Pirate." spoke Gold as he appeared before the angry pirate. "The terrain is a little rough out here."

"Get out of my way crocodile!" breathed Hook, still trying to catch his breath from the long run he had made. "I won't let you use that bloody hat on Hans!"

The pirate grunted as he was thrown backwards into the fence by Gold's gesture. When the pirate wanted to move however, stale ropes began to bound his arms and knees to it.

"Before you depart, lets give you a frontseat and let's enjoy the show, shall we?" smiled Gold as the pirate continued to struggle. "Don't worry. You'll get over him. Although, I don't see why you suddenly care so much for that man..."

Hook didn't say anything as he closed his eyes. Because Hans reminded him of himself. When he looked to Hans, he saw the Love for the sea; the loneliness; driven by anger to avenge the ones they loved. The pirate had looked into Hans' eyes and saw the same pain he saw when he looked into the mirror.

"Don't do this Gold! He doesn't deserve such a fate!"

"I wish I could say I didn't need him. But I need power to fill that hat. Surely you understand that?"

The pirate screamed in anger as he tried to break lose.

\---

Henry felt the air getting knocked out of his lungs when he fell on the harsh frozen ground.

"There is no need to bow so low...Henry." spoke the Snow Queen uncaring whether he had broken his bones or not. "That is your name, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Why...why have you brought me here?" shuddered Henry as he zipped his jacket close.

"Ah, those youngsters these days... So uncivilized" The boy screamed when he felt his hands freeze over at a rapid pace.

"Please...aaah!" the pain in his hands became unbearable as the cold began to worsen by the second.

"Please what?"

"Please...Please, your majesty!" Henry breathed heavily when the frost arround his hands slowly began to thaw.

"That wasn't so hard now was it?" said the Snow Queen as she approached the boy with the necklace. Henry, not knowing what the icy sorceress was planning now, crawled away from the woman. The Snow Queen smiled coldly at the young boy. "Take this in your hand, boy."

When Henry didn't take it, fearing it might be some trick, the Snow Queen's eyes grew dark. "Don't make me ask twice." With shuddering hands, from both fear and the cold, Henry took the small necklace in his palm. The moment he touched it, the Wishing Star began to glow.

"Perfect..." whispered the woman as she observed the necklace in the boy's hand. "Now, I need you to make a wish..."

"And what if I don't?" asked the boy. He wasn't trying to be courageous. In fact, he was terrified at this very moment. But he knew now what the Snow Queen wanted and that she needed him in order to get it. If he managed to buy time for the others as long as possible, then maybe...

"Is the little boy trying to play the hero?" chuckled the Snow Queen as she took hold of the boy's jacket, dragging him in front of the Mirror. "You might want to reconsider being so bold to me, Henry..."

Henry looked away when he was faced with the terrible Mirror of Reason, but the Snow Queen noticed it, and forced Henry's chin to the Mirror so he was unable to look away. With her other hand, the Snow Queen waved before her Mirror and a scene appeared. Henry gasped when he saw Snow and Charming in the middle of the Snow Storm the sorceress had created.

"If you don't oblige me, I'm afraid your grandparents will sadly die..."

"No, please! let them go!" Henry tried to touch the glass, but the scenery dissappeared already.

"I will...Once you wish upon a star..." whispered the sorceress in his ear.

\---

Next chapter will be revealed how Elsa, Hans and The Snow Queen came in Storybrooke!

Sidenote: Originally I was going to have Hans behead Andreas, instead of cutting only his swordhand. It is a grave punishment, as hands were Always needed. Without it, you were practically useless to the society in that time period. 

Lovely greetings, TeamOUATArendelle.


	18. Smash the Mirror (Part 4: So he's a bit of a fixer upper...)

Arendelle, 1845.

Both Elsa and the Snow Queen flew over the gigantic battle field as the Snow Bees held them both up. Or at least, they attempted to as both women tried to push each other out of their safe zone. So, it was quickly that both women crashed in-between the two armies. Both of them were unharmed, and quickly stood up again to face each other. White-Blue ice and snow crashed into each other, causing everyone, Southerners and Ardellians alike to look up in awe and fear.

"I should have let you rot 20 years ago!" shrieked the sorceress as she blocked Elsa's attack. "I tried to do some good! But in the end..." The Snow Queen waved her hands and Elsa was lifted up in the air as a large snow pile catapulted her up. "Everyone sees me as a monster." Elsa fell back on the ground with a hard crash. "Maybe it's time to let mankind remind again why they should fear me!" The Snow Queen looked down upon the girl to whom she once had given her life force to. The Snow Queen's hands began to glow white as she conjured a large ice spike in her hands, which was meant to pierce Elsa's chest.

"Evil witch! Stay away from our Queen!" The astonished Snow Queen looked up to see one of the Ardellian generals standing there. Slowly the Snow Queen stood up and walked towards the man. Those Northeners are way too bold... They need to learn their place once more it seems. The Snow Queen carelessly gestured her hand, and before the general could react, he drew his last breath, impaled by 20 ice spikes through his body. Now, where was I? The Snow Queen reformed once again an ice spike in her hand and trusted it in the woman's chest. As she looked into Elsa's eyes, she expected expecting fear or pain in her eyes. Instead, there was sheer astonishment. Elsa's body became liquid in the Snow Queen's grip, slowly turning blue before being absorbed into the urn that Anna held.

"No..." The Snow Queen's eyes turned dark when she saw her change of revenge slip literally away through her fingers. "NOOOO!" The Snow Queen let out a blood-chilling scream as she stretched her arms. Pure fury shot through the woman's veins as she channelled her power across the battle field, freezing the still fighting soldiers, the animals, the trees... Everything that had just a flicker of life became frozen on the spot. And the frost didn't stop. It went further then only the battle field, across the lake, the castle, over the mountains even, until the whole Kingdom of Arendelle was in a cold, eternal prison.

\---

Storybrooke, present day.

"Hans?!" Elsa had made it through the storm and was running behind the Locator. It seems to go to the Mansion... "Hans?!" God, don't let me be too late to help him! The queen noticed the shirt to fall down before the door. He must be close! But when the queen tried to open the door, it didn't bulge and so, Elsa took a few steps back to freeze the lock out of his hedges.

"Hans, are you in there?"

\---

The Snow Queen took with trembling hands the urn out of Anna's frozen body and stared with cold eyes into the young princess' eyes. How lovely it would be to crush her body into tiny pieces... The sorceress considered it for a moment, but in the end, decided against it. No. No, it would be too easy to kill her and let her suffering end so soon. The Snow Queen felt Anna's life force through the thick ice, abeit weakened as the princess, and everyone else in Arendelle, was in a comateuse state untill she decided to unfreeze them. As she passed Kristoff, who stood with his arm protectively arround the princess, the Snow Queen suddenly noticed something peculiar. A magic bean... Now that might come in handy soon... The only breathing creature in Arendelle looked down again on the urn. She couldn't risk open it by herself, for she would be sucked in while Elsa would be freed. She'll have to be patient for another amount of time, it seems. But what she could do, was take away Elsa's memories, to buy herself some time. She had been roaming the world, looking for all the missing pieces of the Mirror of Reason. Without Elsa realizing who she really was, she could go on with searching without intervenience. As the Snow Queen took away Elsa's memories with the Troll rock, she didn't notice Rumplestiltskin appear behind her.

"It seems someone has been practicing the rock troll memory." Rumple admired the frozen bodies of the Ardellians and the Southerners. When he recognised Anna, he began to glee. "I prefer her this way. Less incooperative...less mouthy..." The man took the necklace of the young princess. "This was much lovelier when it was arround her neck..."

The Snow Queen looked to see Rumple walk towards her. "What do you want Rumplestiltskin?" The Icy sorceress' voice was sharp when she recognised the well-known man from Misthaven. He was the reason I got trapped in that urn...

"Ah, a hat, that the lovely princess stole from me."

"I haven't seen it" spoke Ingrid with a emotionless face.

Rumple chuckled. She was a good liar, he had to give her that. "mmm...lying is so unqueen-like." With a wave of his hand, the urn dissappeared out of the Snow Queen's hands.

"You!" shrieked the sorceress. "Isn't it enough you caused me to be trapped inside that urn? Now, you want to take my revenge too?!"

"Careful, dearie!" Rumple stopped the raging snow queen with his hand. "You're not the only one who knows how to hide something out of value. Lets make a deal. A urn for a hat, as simple as that. Say my name three times, and I'll come to you when you have found my object of desire. Oh, and, If you want to retrieve the shard from that boy..." Rumple pointed to the Hjorundfjord "... I suggest you hurry." As Rumple dissappeared, the Snow Queen dissappeared towards the Hjorundfjord, that was still in the process of being frozen.

\---

Only minutes earlier, up the Hjorundfjord. 

Everyone's stopped fighting when they heard the Snow Queen's horrifying scream echoeing though the valley, and they all looked in utter fear when they saw the frost spread over the land, ceasing everything in ice.

Both Southerners and Ardellians began to run away, or at least tried to with such a great amount of people stuck on one side of the mountain. Hans turned his attention towards the frost coming his way and remembered the beans Lappekonen had given him. As the prince took out one of the beans out of his pocket, he suddenly felt a bony hand upon his arm. He looked up to see Lappekonen.

"Boy, it is too late to go there!" said the woman saddened as well.

"No, I have to try, I have to let the Snow Queen pay for this!" snarled the prince angry.

The wise woman sighed. When giving both him and Kristoff the glimpses of the past, she didn't let them see all of it. Some things weren't meant to be known yet.

"You aren't powerful enough to face her in battle, Hans. Not yet." spoke Lappekonen as she forced the prince to look her in the eyes.

"Then, where must I go? I can't stay here in Arendelle, or I will freeze along with the others!" yelled Hans as the sounds of cracking frost came closer.

Lappekonen took the bean out of Hans' hand, and smashed it on the ground. "You'll go to the land without Magic, called Storybrooke. I believe this is the end boy. I'm afraid we'll only see each other in the Afterlife. I wish I could teach you more."

"What?" asked Hans shocked. "Lappekonen, what do you mean? You can-" The prince' sentence died on his lips when a large storm came up.

"The Snow Queen has caught up on us!"

"What? why does she want me? I'll be frozen soon, so why am I so important to her?" yelled Hans through the snow storm.

"No, you don't stay here, Hans!" Hans bit his lip when he felt the old woman's grip on his arm. Damn, how strong was she? A laughter came from the sky and suddenly the Snow Queen appeared before the two gifted people. "Go, Hans!" The young man suddenly was forced back by the old woman, nearly falling into the portal. He kept his balance however.

"Get out of my way, Lappekonen!" snarled the Snow Queen while her hands began to glow a terrifying white.

"I won't let harm come to that boy, Ingrid. Or should I call you by your real name that you seemed to have forgotten?" yelled the old woman with her grey hairs loose in the wind.

The Snow Queen paled enormously: "You wouldn't-"

"You're real name i-"

A shriek came from the Snow Queen's mouth as she waved her hand, causing the old woman to be blasted away against one of the trees.

"NO!" Hans wanted to run to the old woman when suddenly he felt the air leave his lungs. The prince's hands went instinctively to his neck, but the hands that seemed to take away his ability to breath, were invisible.

"Finally..." sneered the sorceress as she saw Hans' face turn red. "Finally I get it..." Her other hand went for the prince's chest, to take away the boy's shard that had been implemented in him for so long.

"NO!" Lappekonen skillfully threw a stone against the Snow Queen's head, as she had been learned by her father to hit sure but swift.

Hans coughed as he felt the fog leave his mind. air! The prince breathed heavily to suck in more of the precious oxygen. What the prince didn't realize however was that along with the struggle for air, he had become closer to the portal then he expected. And so, when he resetted his footing, the prince suddenly felt himself being sucked into the portal.

The Snow Queen, who didn't seem to bleed at all, rose up again and saw the prince slowly getting sucked in. The prince screamed when he felt the sorceress' nails dig into his arm. Yet, the gravity of the portal was even too heavy for the Snow Queen to keep the prince in this world. " I may not have you or your shard, but I will erase your memories so you won't remember those powers you have..."

Hans'eyes widened, before shutting down again as the Snow Queen erased the man's memories with the Troll rock. The gravity outmatched the Snow Queen in strength and so, the prince fell down the portal, unconcious.

Lappekonen laughed as the Snow Queen had failed to retrieve Hans' shard. He was safe now, for the time being. As the old woman saw the Snow Queen come forward, she looked unafraid into her ice cold eyes. "Go ahead, Mistress of Ice and Snow. I have lived my life..." A small flicker of light seemed to shine in the Snow Queen's eyes, and for a short hearbeat, Lappekonen wondered if she remembered who she was. The hope was shortlived though, as the Snow Queen's eyes darkened again and placed her hand on the chest, near the woman's heart, causing her body to freeze over slowly. The old woman gasped from the pain. It was so painful she couldn't even scream as the frost began to spread. When there was only an ice statue left of Lappekonen, the Snow Queen snapped her hand, causing the ice statue to crumble and turn into tiny ice cubes.

\---

Henry trembled as he tried to shut out the screams from his grandparents coming out of the Mirror. As much as the boy didn't want the Snow Queen to win, he couldn't bear hearing his grandparents freeze to death. "Alright!" said the boy hoarsh from the tears. "Stop the storm, please! I'll do it! Just don't harm them no more!"

The Snow Queen didn't stop the storm however. "I'm the one who makes the rules, boy. Give me first what I want..."

Henry sighed in defeat as he took hold of the necklace. "I wish..." The boy felt terrible. He had betrayed everyone in storybrooke by giving in. But he couldn't watch his family seeing hurt again. "I Wish Anna of Arendelle to be here right now." A flash made his eyes hurt and he quickly averted them, so he wouldn't be blinded. When the glow stopped, Henry looked up to see the frozen statue of Anna and Kristoff, who were embracing each other with a fearful expression on their faces. "I did what you promised. Now, let them go."

The Snow Queen kept her part of the bargain, and Henry saw his dazed grandparents stand up as the Storm dissappeared. "Thank you Henry. Your usefullness has come to his end now..." Her icy hands moved, and suddenly the boy was shackled to the wall with ice arround his hands. The Snow Queen noticed the fear on Henry's face and chuckled. "Don't worry, boy. I won't kill you yet. You should be honoured to be a witness to all this..."

\---

The Snow Queen dissappeared from the quiet fjord and flew to the hiding place where she had hidden the hat that she had to retrieve for Rumple. She didn't acchieve Hans' mirror shard, but she could still have her revenge against Elsa... As the Snow Queen took out the hat from under the rock, and began to say Rumple's name three times over, she was suddenly stopped when she almost spoke the man's name for a third time.

"STOP!" The Snow Queen looked up to see the Apprentice standing there.

"Why are you conjuring the Dark one?" asked the apprentice when he came out of the shadows. "Don't you know he tricks and deceits?"

"I know that very well, Apprentice. He caused me to be trapped in that urn for decades." snarled the Snow Queen to the old man. "But if I want to retrieve Elsa, I have no other choice. Leave before I make you another decoration piece." The Snow Queen stiffened when she saw her bean in the Apprentice' hands.

"I will give this to you; along with the location where both Hans and Elsa are headed. If, you deliver me that hat."

The Snow Queen's lips were a thin line. "I thought the sorcerer didn't want to make deals with me? Why now?" The icy sorceress had spent years trying to get an audience with the legendary man.

"He knows if you deliver the hat to the dark one, you will never find your happy ending." spoke the Apprentice. "But if you don't; You will retrieve the memories of why you are here, and be re-united with your family once more..."

The Snow Queen paused for a moment before stretching the hat out to the apprentice, who in turn gave the sorceress the bean.

"Now, smash it on the ground...and tell it to take you to Storybrooke..." The sorceress obliged the man's instructions and went through the portal, to the year 2011.

\---

"Hans!" O, Hans, what happened to you? Elsa looked shocked to the young man as he revealed his face to her. Bags stood under his tired eyes, and a small beard had grown in the past few days as he hadn't been able to razor his face. Well, the little beard suits him quite nicely... Elsa shook her head, and tried to get back into reality.

"Elsa? What are you dong here? you need to leave, now!" said Hans as Pollen began to swirl heavier in the room.

"I'm not! You didn't give up on me in that ice cave when you nearly died from blood loss! So I'm not giving up on you now!" said the determinded queen.

Hans swallowed heavily when the queen walked towards him. "Elsa...don't! I'm going to hurt you! And this time, Anna isn't here to jump between us to protect you. This is all I can do now..." The prince turned his back to Elsa and his hand went for the door, but was stopped when Elsa began to talk again.

"It wasn't Anna that saved me, Hans"

"What?" The hand of the prince fell back to its side when he looked back to the queen. "what do you mean?"

"When I landed in a strange town, I thought I was doomed without my sister. Instead, you helped me to gain complete control over my powers."

"How?" asked the prince puzzled as he looked nervously arround. Branches began to spread wilder and thicker the more Hans tried to keep it in.

"You have to love yourself, Hans. The good, and the bad..." whispered Elsa as she began to walk closer. "I don't know what is troubling you, but you need to let the past go!"

"How can I not?" whispered Hans back. "Elsa, I can't do that. Everyone I once loved, whether it was my brother, my mother, or..." Hans swallowed. Elsa kept silent as she let the man speak. "-or my wife..." A sob came from Hans' mouth as he thought again of Aliya. "My son..." Another sob came from the prince as he let the pain flow though his trembling body for the first time in years. "They are all gone, Elsa. I can't bear the pain anymore. I can't afford myself again to loose anyone I care about..."The Pollen seemed to have diminished a little in their brute force. "I can't afford to care anymore, because they all get taken from me..." The prince cried wholeheartedly now. " What kind of brother doesn't avenge his sibling? What kind of father isn't able to defend its child? Please, Elsa, let me do this!"

Elsa's eyes were wet from the tears when she finally understood the man's bitterness and anger. "Hans, I can't! I understand all too well the self-guilt you have. I was beating myself up too after I nearly killed Anna when we were children. But you can't, no, you mustn't drown yourself about what has happened in the past. There are so many people out there right now over the whole town, looking for you, because they are concerned about you! You have friends, Hans. You have me..."

Hans closed his eyes. "Elsa...stop, please. we can't have it."

"What?"

"What can I offer you?" said the prince as he gestured arround him, causing more bushes to grow larger. "I'm a bastard prince, a traitor who's sentenced to death. What can I offer you and your country, except social unrest and political struggle?"

"You could offer me happiness." whispered Elsa as she stood almost chest to chest with the prince. "And that's the greatest treasure I can wish for." The young queen stretched out her hand towards the prince.

"What are you doing...I could kill you!" said Hans shocked to the young woman.

"Its a risk I'm willing to take...Its time to stop being afraid" Hans looked into the queen's eyes to see only determination in her decision and so, the prince' hand slowly went up to take Elsa's. When their hands touched, a blast seemed come from the man's hands, causing the overgrown branches and leaves to stop their growth and dissappear in pollen. Hans looked arround, before looking back at his hands. They didn't hurt anymore! Suddenly the man felt his magic stretch in his body, instead of just his arms. All the pressure dissappeared, and the magic was at ease now, flowing through his veins, in the rythm of his heart beat.

The prince began to laugh and cry at the same time when he was able to embrace Elsa without hurting her, feeling the woman's colder temperature against his. "Thank you...thank you so much..." Both royals cried tears of joy on each others shoulders, both happy that Hans had found inner peace at last.

\---

Gold looked from outside the Mansion, waiting for the large blast that would cause Hans to be sucked inside the hat. Instead, The lights went out. "No..."

Hook couldn't keep in his smile. "So I guess he didn't go though it then?...So sorry..." Gold turned arround when the pirate began to laugh, relieved that Hans hadn't done it. What are you going to do now, crocodile? "I just love the look of defeat on your face! hahahah!"

"I may not have that boy, pirate. But I assure you. Today won't be without loss. I need to fill that hat with power, yes, but, that was only part of the acquisation. A secret ingrediënt about with an associate of mine included me in...a heart."

The pirate screamed when Rumple's hand went through his chest to take out his heart.

"Get over it then!" yelled the pirate as Rumple held the organ in his hand.

"Mmm...Let's have some fun with it first..." smiled the dark one. "You are going to do everything I say. 'cause you're my puppet now."

\---

Both the princess and the Ice harvester slumped to the ground, as the Snow Queen thawed the two out. Standing still for 30 years wasn't good for your limbs. they had become stiff and weak during their comateuse state and could barely keep their bodies up.

"What..." slurred Kristoff as the effects of the cold had to wear off yet. His mind became clear however when he noticed the Snow Queen before them. "You!" When the Ice harvester tried to stand up, the Snow Queen reacted quickly, and blasted the Sami boy against the wall, next to Henry. Hard ice shackles arround the wrists prevented the man to move away from his spot.

"You stay away from her!" cried Kristoff desperately as he saw the Snow Queen advance on Anna, who was still waking up. The Icy sorceress ignored the Sami's plea, and took hold of one of Anna's braids.

"AAAH!" Anna's eyes shot open when she felt a hard tug on one of her braids. "Let go of me! let me..." Anna looked shocked when the Snow Queen's eyes bored into hers. Her shock quickly changed back into anger. "You witch! what have you done to us! where are we?"

"If you don't shut your mouth soon, Anna, I'll freeze your tongue once more." spoke the Snow Queen icily while she dragged the woman carelessly to the Mirror. The princess gasped when she recognised the Troll Mirror from the legends. "Now...cry for me, Anna...just one tear..."

"What? wh-aaah!" Anna screamed when she felt frost spread across her arm. She wanted me to cry? for that Mirror? Anna bit her lip in concentration as she shut her eyes. She wouldn't cry. wouldn't cry. wouldn't... the pain had become unbearable at this point and Anna fought desperately to keep her tears in.

"AAAH!" Anna's eyes shut down even harder, but this time, it caused her tears to flow over her cheeks.

"Thank you so much, my dear" smiled the Snow Queen as she catched a few tears in a small bottle of Ice. With her other hand the Snow Queen gestured Anna against the wall, next to the other side of Henry. Shackles appeared as well arround her wrists to prevent her from running away.

The three prisoners watched in awe and fear how the Snow Queen dropped the tears of the Golden Child on the Troll Mirror.

\---

Hans and Elsa just wanted to go outside when they nearly crashed into Hook.

"Hook?" asked Hans confused as he took hold of the man's hand. "You're okay?" The prince found the man's behaviour a bit odd.. his stance, the way he walked...

"I'm alright, mate. I'm glad you didn't do it, that's all." the pirate looked for a moment to the linked hands between the two.

"You're sure?" asked Elsa when she saw Hook's face. "If you're looking any harder, I swear you're going to drill a hole in our heads."

"I'm just relieved" said the pirate who was now being controlled by Rumple. "Now, I believe you should go outside. There are a lot of people out there who want to see you both. I just need to take care of something." The pirate gently pushed the two outside so they wouldn't see what he was doing.

Both Hans and Elsa were so happy to be reunited again that they didn't pay attention anymore to Hook. As they walked outside they looked up to the shining stars in the night.

"Thank you" spoke the prince softly as he looked down to the ice queen. "I can't say it enough. Thank you for believing in me..."

"You're welcome" said Elsa while her head began to fall down Hans' shoulder, causing the prince to look astonished by her sudden move. "Where does it bring us now?"

Hans didn't answer right away at the queen's question. "I don't know honestly..." said the prince after a long pause. He couldn't deny his feelings for the queen anymore. They had practically confessed back in the Mansion. But still... Hans glanced downwards when he felt the queen's eyes upon him. It suddenly struck him how close their faces actually were...

Their heads moved closer, and it costed Elsa all her might not to kiss the prince immediately. She had seen he loved her, yes. But she had also seen he wasn't that comfortable yet to go that quickly. So, she waited, to let the prince make the first move. The seconds seemed to become months while she waited for Hans to make the first step. His breath warmed her cheeks, smelling of mint and roses...

"Elsa, stop!" whispered Hans as he backed down a little. "I can't do this...I still...need to process and sort everything out in my mind. I'm... fond of you, very fond even...i don't want to rush this. I don't want to break your heart by not being able to give my full self to you... Can you give me time? please?"

"Of course I will." Elsa respected the man's wishes. she wasn't dissappointed he hadn't kissed her. In fact, she was glad he was honest about his feelings. He still needed to heal, to give Aliya and Eddard a place inside his mind, before he wanted to move on.

Hans smiled before giving a small kiss on her forehead. "Thank you..."

"Hans!" the two royals looked up startled when Snow and Charming ran their way. "Are you okay?"

"I am, thanks to Elsa." said Hans as he took the worried mother-figure in a hug. In a way, Snow had somehow become the mother he never had.

"So...Your magic...you're in control of it now?" asked Charming to the prince who began to smile.

"Absolutely." The prince stretched his hands up, and the damage he had caused arround the forrest began to disintegrate into pollen. As Hans began to bring all the pollen together in the sky, an idea popped in his head. he wiggled his fingers, causing the pollen to explode in little roseleaves. As the four watched the self-made spectacle from Hans, they all seemed to forget the threat from the Snow Queen for a moment. Suddenly the prince's hands fell back to his side, and the pollen dissappeared.

"What's happening?" asked Charming as the three looked to the glowing eyes of Hans.

"I think he's having dreams again." said Elsa as she remembered the strange ability of the prince.

\----

"Henry!" cried Emma. The savior tried to blast her way through the storm, but her magic didn't help against that of the Snow queen's. "Henry!"

"Mom!" Hans saw Henry and Emma try to reach each other, when the Snow Queen appeared out of nowhere.

"You stay away from him!" treatened Emma when the Snow Queen advanced upon them. Hans watched helplessly how Emma got blasted away and how the Snow Queen took Henry captive.

()

"I'm the one who makes the rules, boy. Give me first what I want..."

Hans saw the boy sigh in defeat. "I wish..." Was that Anna's necklace? wondered the prince as he saw the object in Henry's hand. "I Wish Anna of Arendelle to be here right now." A blinding flash made the prince avert his eyes for a moment. He looked up to see the frozen statue of Anna and Kristoff, who were embracing each other with a fearful expression on their faces. 

()

The prince looked in fear to what was happening, no what had already happened while he is watching it. "Now...cry for me, Anna...just one tear..." Hans trembled as the Snow Queen acchieved her last ingrediënt, the tear of a Golden Child, and sprankled it on the Mirror...

\---

"hah!" The prince gasped and slammed the visions away like you would slam a door in someone's face.

"What did you see?" asked Elsa worried when Hans didn't speak. "Hans?"

"We're doomed." whispered the prince while he looked to the North, where the Snow Queen's liar was. "The Snow Queen has taken Henry captive."

"What?" Snow's hand went up to her mouth in sheer fear. "O, not Henry!" the woman buried her head in David's chest.

"Emma is somewhere on the road, she was beaten unconcious by the Snow Queen while trying to defend Henry. And Anna and Kristoff..."

"They are here?" asked Elsa to Hans. "Tell us quickly! We need to protect her, Before the Snow Queen gets Anna first and makes the Mirror even more powerful!"

"Its already to late for that." Hans' eyes shone with fear. "She has already spilled Anna's tear on the Mirror. The visions I saw, have already happened..."

"Then why aren't we noticing anything about it?" spoke Charming while he tried to keep calm. "Maybe it still has to happ-" A loud crack made everyone's bones shudder and the four looked up to see a large white-blue beam appear in the sky. Even from so far away, they could all feel the coldness radiating from the beam.

"Good lord in Heavens, protect us!" prayed Elsa while she embraced Hans for comfort. As they all watched a sudden wind seemed to come out of the beam, spreading over all of Storybrooke. When the wind hit them, it didn't seem to be stopped by their bodies. No, it felt as if it went through their flesh, causing them to shudder from the uncomfortable feeling.

"Did you all feel that?" whispered Snow. "What was it?"

\---

The Snow Queen looked to her Mirror, which had begun to glow unearthly bright. "Come, my Children... Come to your Mistress." The three prisoner's eyes widened when they saw someone step out of the Mirror.

"Mom?" whispered Henry as he recognised his mother. Or rather, didn't recognize her. The savior that had stepped out of the Mirror, seemed to look an exact replica of Emma but her eyes... Henry screamed when he didn't see any. And it wasn't just the Savior who stepped out of the Mirror. Kristoff and Anna saw their old friend David step out the Mirror after Emma.

"David?" yelled Kristoff as he saw the creepy unearthly version of his old friend. "David? What happened to you?" The creature didn't answer though.

More and more people came out of the Mirror: Belle, Snow, Regina, Will... untill...

"Kristoff..." Anna's voice became hoarsh when she saw a black-haired version of her sister come forth. Anna began to cry from fear. "What did you do to my sister?" yelled the princess as she tried to break free from her shackles.

"Me?" smiled the Snow Queen. "I didn't do anything to your sister dear. She's on the other side of town."

"Then who's this?" asked Anna confused.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" laughed the Snow Queen as pointed to the Mirror. "The Mirror reflects the worst aspects of the ones who look in it. Now, thanks to your tear, I have multiplied the Mirror's strength."

Three pairs of eyes widened in fear when they realized what the Snow Queen had done. She hadn't just taken everyone's worst self out of this town...Instead of only showing someone their darkest self, The Mirror could now make your worst self step OUT of it...


	19. Fall part 1

The Charmings and Elsa ran behind Hans, who let the way to the still unconcious Emma on the road. "Where is she?" asked Snow as she followed Hans, concerned about her daughter.

"Just a little further" answered the prince without even stopping to run. To everyone's relief they saw the unconcious girl laying on the street a few feet away. David was the first to reach her.

"Emma?" David slowly began to pat the girl's face, to try to wake her up. "Emma, wake up!"

The girl groaned and cluthed her head as she gained concious. "Wha...David..."

"Take it easy, Emma, you got a serious knock on the head" spoke Charming as he helped her sit up.

"Henry!" cried the Savior as she remembered what happened. "Henry is taken captive! The Snow Queen..."

"We know" calmed Hans Emma down as he and David helped the still wobbly girl up her feet. Both men put their arms under the dizzy girl's shoulders. "We know. He's alright, The Snow Queen didn't harm him."

The savior sighed relieved and looked to the prince's hands. "It seems you are in control again, i see?"

The prince' smiled slightly at Emma. "Yes. Luckily, or unlucky should I better say, for all of us." answered the prince as he and David helped Emma towards the truck.

"How do you mean?"

Hans and David reached the truck as first, and with the help from Elsa and Snow, they helped the woman into the car. "The Snow Queen has succeed in bringing Anna to this world, along with Kristoff as well. She used me as a distraction, so she could go carry out her plan without anyone to stop her." spoke Hans as they stepped into the car. David quickly drove off, while Snow began to call everyone to warn them about what was happening. Emma groaned.

"So she has now strengthened the Mirror of Reason?"

"Yes" spoke Hans serious as he kept Emma from bumping her head against the celing of the car. "In just a few hours, we'll all be facing our worst selves."

Elsa conjured some Ice in her hand and kept it against the blonde woman's head. "This should help with the swelling." Emma smiled in gratitude to the Ice queen.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Snow when they drove to the meeting place.

"What we all need, is a good nights rest" spoke David as he tried to stay awake. He couldn't fall asleep as the driver and be responsible for an accident! "If the Snow Queen truly is her strongest now, she would have attacked us immediately when she put Anna's tear on the Mirror, but she didn't. Why?"

"Why wouldn't she?" said Elsa as she kept the block of Ice against Emma's wound. "There is nowhere we can go with that Ice wall...She has all the time in the world to kill us..."

"Well, that's one advantage" spoke Emma softly. "If the Snow Queen truly thinks that way, then thats only good news for us. If we can suprise her, and take the fight to her. We can take the children out of town, along with the boats or something..." Emma's voice slurred from exhaustion.

"Let's not think about it now." spoke David to stop his daughter from going again on a mission. " The Snow Queen is taking her time, well, so should we. We're all exhausted, we need rest if we want to be both mentally and physically strong." answered David.

Elsa glanced out of the window car to see the large beam shining ominous in the sky before glancing back at Hans who had the same fear written on his face. They had just confessed their feelings for each other... But now it seems that time is running out for getting to know each other, without any boundaries or obligations. Again, something that the Snow Queen had taken away from them... As everyone retired to bed, she noticed Hans didn't want to leave by her side as well. The two embraced again once more. So many emotions ran through the two royals, it was hard to express it all. Love. Fear. Sadness. Despair.

"I thought we would have more time..." whispered Hans in Elsa's neck. He too had come to the same conclusion as Elsa had."I don't want to leave you"

"Then don't" whispered Elsa back as she looked into the prince's green eyes. She felt the prince' body shudder against hers and she took his trembling hands. "Stay with me please?" The prince pinched softly in her hands as answer, indicating he was indeed okay with it. The two went into Hans' room and shed their clothes in front of each other. When Elsa had difficulty however with the "Bra" as Snow seemed to call the small corset, Hans helped her unbutton it. The Queen shuddered when she felt his hands on her.

"You okay?" whispered Hans as he turned arround to give the queen her privacy.

"yeah...yeah, I'm fine..." said Elsa while she did her sleeping clothes on. "Its...just...cold." Elsa could smack herself in the face. Really, Elsa? that's your excuse for the shaking?

"I thought it never bothered you." asked the prince confused as they went to the small bed and crept under the blankets.

"Yeah, well..." smiled Elsa uncomfortable as they laid together. It was much different then the last time they were sleeping together. It seemed, with the upcoming treat, they had become much more aware of their bodies and movements. How long could she see him, touch his hand for comfort? How long will her heart beat before she died? Elsa swallowed and snuggled closer to the prince, listening to his breathing. "How are you?"

"I'm terrified" said the prince while he caressed the queen's hair. "I...I'm afraid for what you will see from my darkest self. I have been down that path for many years. What if I'm not strong enough to beat it?"

"You will."

Hans looked to the ice blue eyes of the queen. "You really have too much faith in me."

"Or, maybe you have a lot less faith in yourself." answered the queen while her hand travelled to the prince' sixpack, feeling every trained muscle of his body.

"Elsa?" The prince stiffened when he felt the queen's small fingers press on his stomach. "What are you doing?"

"Just...remembering you as you are at this moment" spoke the queen while her hand went to the man's arm, feeling his arm tense up at her touch.

"And you are doing this because?"

"Because, I want to know who you are, this body of yours..." smiled the queen as she looked into the prince's eyes.

"Elsa..." Hans' eyes seemed to go moist. The prince's body seemed to go into a feverish temperature in a matter of seconds.

"I don't want to be bedded tonight if that's what you think. No, its just... I want to touch you. Wearing gloves all the time caused me to take objects up and quickly putting them away. I never got to feel them, and therefore, I never got to know them. I never felt the harshness of wood; the soft skin of an apple or the tickly feeling from the grass..."

The prince hummed as he understood now what Elsa wanted. "Elsa, could you cool your body temperature down a bit? I'm afraid I'm otherwise setting fire to the blankets." Elsa chuckled and obliged, causing the prince to relax.

"Doesn't it feel uncomfortable, with my body being so cold, especially in comparison to yours?"

"On the contrary...being so warm all the time isn't that amazing. You feel like everything is moistened, Always wet to the touch..." the prince cirled his fingers across Elsa's back, feeling his body temperature slowly go down. She felt like a soft breeze on the seas... As the hot and the cold were radiating from each other, it somehow made sense to be together. Both relished in the other inhuman body temperature and relaxed their exhausted bodies, soon falling asleep.

 

"Well done dearie. It appears you have won" spoke Gold as he stood next to the Snow Queen. Both looked to the gigantic beam, and the barrier that had spread arround Storybrooke.

"You have a lot of nerve to come here, rumplestiltskin." spoke the sorceress icily. "I offer that boy on a silver platter for you, and yet you still let him escape."

"It wasn't my fault. If it wasn't for Elsa somehow showing up, I could have his power in my hat."

The Snow Queen turned her icy eyes towards the dark one. "That's no excuse. I Warned you, rumple, about what I would do if you failed."

the dark one wasn't impressed by the Snow Queen's treat. not from the outside. "then It appears you will be here, along with Elsa and Hans, who knows how long you're going to torture them... And me. spending the rest of my immortal life, trying to rip your heart out."

the sorceress looked to the annoying man. How she loved to kill him with one of her Mirror Children. But she knew, that both they and her weren't ready yet for such a confrontation. Elsa and Hans were unexperienced in comparison to her and Rumple, who had decennia to know and perfect their magic. The Snow Queen knew when to be careful for her enemies. taking Rumple down now, would make her exhausted for when she had to fight the inhabitants of Storybrooke. It seems The dark one had come up with the exact same conclusion and he smirked. Keep enjoying your last hours here, dark one. You'll regret what you have done...

"It seems you do have something to offer."

"I want to leave. Along with my wife and grandson"

The Snow Queen hid her smirk. You'll have to look a long time before you find you're precious grandson, Gold. And before you know where he is, you'll be too late... "Enjoy your trip."

 

A large group, consisting of The charmings, Emma, Elsa, Hans and Regina looked to the gigantic beam in the sky. Over the past few hours, the omnious feeling had multiplied whenever they looked at the unworldly light.

"Let's open the vaults, and shelter there." spoke Charming as he looked through the spyglass.

"Its magic. It doesn't care about ceilings" said Regina. "Judging by how the beam seems to grow in...ferocity.." Regina, neither any of the people who had magic could describe what it felt like. They could feel the wrongness, the evilness screaming from that beam. And they couldn't shut it out. "I suspect it will hit in 3 hours...3 hours before we are faced with our worst selves in this town..."

"Well, that makes it simple. Let's not be in town. If we can get at least a few people safe..." thought Emma out loud. Unlike you, Henry. I'm sorry, kid. I'll come for you.

At first they tried to climb over the wall, resulting in David almost being caved in if Elsa hadn't reacted that quickly. As Snow took care of her husband, she watched as her daughter tried to melt the wall, along with Elsa.

"Let me try that misformed iglo" snarled Regina as she focused her fire on it. Even she didn't get through it.

"Lets try all together at the same time, at the same spot." answered Emma as she looked to Hans and Elsa. "Alright, I'm counting down. Three, two...one." a gigantic beam of magic collided with the wall, as fire, mint, snowflakes and light swirled together in a spectacle of colours.

"Alright, that wall isn't an option." spoke Emma as they ceased their magic. "Hook, try to get to the parlour, see if you can get some people out with some boats. Mom, dad, warn everyone, and let them arm themselves. Elsa, Hans and I are going to look for Gold to see if there's anything we can do against it."

"i'm going to Robin's camp to warn them, its not far from here." spoke Regina as she quickly left off. The Evil Queen looked to the beam. "We got to hurry."

 

"Any luck?" asked Emma to Belle.

the brunnette sighed heavily. "No. the curse is pretty much unstoppable... However...that girl, Gerda managed to heal Kay with her tears from that spell."

"But, my mother only healed him from the shard in his body. That's something quite different here where there isn't a shard involved, but a complete Mirror" spoke Hans confused.

" The spell may have changed, have multiplied, but the vaccin stays the exact same thing: the tear of the Golden Child." It caused everyone to frown.

"How can Hans' mother be the Golden Child as well? Gerda and Anna aren't related." spoke Elsa.

"No, they aren't. But, apparently, the immunity is passed on to someone else every generation." said Belle as she pointed to the drawing.

"So...if we somehow can free Anna... she can save us from all this..." mumbled Hans.

"But how? The Snow Queen has her already captive" said Belle worried.

"Then we have to free her before the curse becomes too powerful to overcome" spoke the savior. "We got to fight to buy some of us time to sneak in and free her along with Henry and Kristoff."

"The Snow Queen will suspect this" retorted Hans. "She knows that Elsa, you and I will want to free them since we're so closely related; It has to be someone else who she doesn't know much off. When we are the least predictable, we buy more time."

"Thank you, Belle, again. We wouldn't know what we would be without you" spoke Emma as she began to call everyone up to get to the sherrif station, as it was where everyone was headed.

 

Everyone, except Hook who was still at the parlour with Rumple.

"Sit lad." Rumple patted the bench where he sat on."Don't forget where your heart lies. Now, I have a job for you." The dark one waved his hand and the sorcerer's hat appeared on the bench, in-between Hook and Rumple. "you remember this?"

"The hat..." Hook paled when he taught of which people could still be stuck into the hat. "Emma?"

Gold chuckled. "No. She'll never believe me, pirate. Neither will Hans be so willing again, thanks to that ice queen of his." Rumple looked contently to the parlour. "In Granny's, the fairies are gathering together, to search for a vaccin for this curse. Admirable, truly as the only way to stop it-"

"-Is the tear of the Golden Child, I know" cut the pirate the diabolical man off. Rumple looked admirably to his nemesis.

"Seems you have payed attention to your magic classes...but, I degress... Get the fairies into this. By doing so, I will have collected enough power to break myself from this dagger. A suddenly urgent matter with the curse almost upon us... Now, will you assist me?"

"You know I have no choice in it since you have my heart" growled the pirate angrily to the crocodile.

"Indeed. But here is the small problem. My wife is among them. So, I want you, while I'm taking her out the house, to eliminate those infestations." Rumple noticed the pirate's dark glare. "you can mope all you want, and clench your jaw...but you can't do anything about it. you'll have to accept we're in this together."

 

Everyone was talking though each others sentences, their minds reeling with questions about the upcoming treat. "quiet!" yelled Emma without avail as they simply talked further on. "quiet, everyone!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!" boomed Hans' voice to help the savior out. the crowd jumped back and went silent to listen to Emma.

"what you may all have seen and felt was the Snow Queen's dong last night." spoke Emma to the large crowd. "She has completed the Mirror. As we speak at this moment, she has conjured up our worst selves to battle with. But we're not going to sit by and let her slaughter us all one by one. We're going to take the fight to her. Robin, Regina..." the two looked puzzled when the savior said their names. "what you two are going to do, is perhaps the most important task of all. You two are going to free Henry, Anna and Kristoff from their prison, while we distract the Snow Queen. When you have the opportunity, you have to destroy the Mirror with Anna."

"Wouldn't it be logical for you to rescue them, Emma?" asked Granny. "You are the savior after all."

"The Snow Queen will expect me to free them and make a trap for me." said Emma. "She doesn't know Regina or Robin that well as Hans, Elsa or me. the most important thing to do is to buy time for Regina and Robin to succeed. " the crowd murmured in agreement as Emma explained further. "Now. Ruby, Granny, you go with David and me from the east side. Hans, you take the west with the merry men..."

Robin gave the young man a clap on the shoulder. "take good care of them boy."

"I'll try." whispered the prince back.

"Never considered a carrier with me? your magic will be suitable for ambushing the nobilities..." Hans chuckled softly.

" when all this is over, I'll help you to do that to a certain duke in my country..." before returning his attention back to Emma who was dividing the groups. Hans pushed the outgoing people out of his way, determinded to find Elsa before they left. "Elsa..."

The young queen turned arround and smiled softly to the young man. "Hi..." It was an akward silence after that, and neither did really know what to say to one another. Hans coughed.

"Anyway... i wanted to give you something...for good fortune..." The prince gestured with his hand and a rose bloomed up, floating on his palm. As the prince concentrated again, the rose began to change and molt into a ribbon.

"Hans.." breathed Elsa as the prince did the ribbon on her wrist. "Thats beautiful." Elsa now wanted to give something to him too and she raised her hand to make a huge floating snowflake. As the prince watched, Elsa waved her hand above the snowflake in her palm and the snowflake disintegrated into little ice pieces and floated arround the prince's wrist, creating a ribbon for him as well.

"Thank you..." said Hans as he looked back to the queen, before kissing her forehead.

"Everything is going to be different after today..."breathed Elsa into the prince's neck. "isn't it?"

"Yes..." Hans swallowed as he looked back into Elsa's eyes. "Yes, it will be...." Their heads came closer once again, and this time, Elsa didn't feel Hans turning back. She felt his warm breath against her face...

"Elsa!! Are you coming?!" yelled Emma from outside. The couple quickly parted their heads in suprise. Both cheeks were red from embarassement. 

"I uhh...I see you soon" said Hans akwardly after raising his hand for a shake. "Good luck..."

"Yeah..." blushed Elsa while they shook hands. "You too."

"Elsa?!" 

"I should go...They uhm...they are waiting for me...ah!" the queen bumped akwardly against one of the tables before turning arround. "uhm..bye..."

"Bye..." Hans looked until he was'nt able to see her anymore, before turning back towards his own group.


	20. Fall Part 2

Hans took a deep breath when they were all in their positions. He looked slightly up to see Will Scarlet come his way. The merry man had a rather..unusual humor, just like Hook had.

"you alright mate?" whispered Will. there was no need to be afraid that the Snow Queen would hear them, since the winds didn't take their voices to the Snow Queen's liar.

Hans nodded simply while he was scanning the terrain. "It's too quiet." said the frowning prince.

"Yeah, like a boobytrap or an-"

"AAAAAHWWW!" The merry men and Hans looked up to see a gigantic ice golem come their way. The prince swallowed when he saw the ice monster. He'd rather fight Marshmallow ten times over instead of this creature.

"-Ambush." said Will to make his sentence complete. The man placed an arrow on his bow and shoot the golem in the arm, as did many others. It only seemed to anger the golem further and with a sweep of his hand, he threw several men several feet away.

"WAIT! shoot on his legs! they are unstable in the legs!" shouted the prince as he stretched his lended bow. The Arrow missed and the Prince cursed inwardly while he took another out of his quiver. The merry men obliged, but even their combined arrows broke upon the thick ice. they had to dodge from the giant arm, and Hans lost the Arrow he had in his hand. The prince looked up,and noticed Will Scarlet laying next to him.

"Any other idea's mate?"

The prince looked slightly up from his hiding spot. That thing was HUGE. Even if they had a gigantic bonfire with them, he doubted... The prince's eyes widened. "Will, I need you to distract that creature's attention from me."

Will Scarlet ran off towards the ice golem and waved his hands. "Oi, Ice cube! Over here!" The brutal blue eyes of the ice golem turned their attention on Will. "Right...now is the part where I have to run..." Will quickly jumped out of the way from the gigantic hand, that made the ground tremble underneath him when it hit the ground. "I hope you got something, mate!"

The prince had come out of his knelt position to get a better angle, yet still out of the Monster's sight. Stretch from the shoulders, not the arms...The prince concentrated as he focused his magic. Knokkel of your thumb against your mouth... It came mmediately, and pumped through his veins, across his fingers. Breathe in...The Arrow, ablaze with a green glow, went in the same synchronisation as his heartbeat. Breath out...One last check on the wind and distance made him change his direction of the bow a bit. ZZZZFFFF! The arrow flew accross the field, piercing the golem's chest and caused it to explode in tiny ice pieces. The merry men cheered by their victory, but stopped when they saw another come their way. And another. A third appeared as well...

Hans swallowed when they were surrounded by seven of those gigantic monsters. "This is going to be fun..." mumbled the prince sarcastically as he put another Arrow on his bow.

\---

"Ha! you see that, witch?! You are going to loose!" shouted Anna contently when she saw the inhabitants march on against the Snow Queen's ice golems.

The Snow Queen laughed however. "Oh, sweet princess, this was just a warm-up exercise for me..." The Snow Queen raised her hands, and millions of Snow Bees swirmed outside at their Mistress' command. "While i'm observing the show, You'll be in very nice company..." smiled the cold woman as she dissappeared. "Oh..." The Snow Queen turned arround to face the twisted reflections. "Be ready to come out when I give you the signal. Second..." The Snow Queen pointed her pale fingers towards the three prisoners. "Don't kill them before I explicitly say so. is that clear?" She didn't look back for an answer; She knew that they would obey her without a thought.

Now the Snow Queen was gone, the three prisoner's eyes shifted towards the Mirror's twisted creations.

Anna looked to the many faces, some she didn't know. But others, like Belle and David... "Elsa?" Anna couldn't help herself and called for her sibling when she saw her pass by. She knew she shouldn't do it; that it only would cause her pain; that it wasn't really her sister, but she felt she should try...

"Hallo my dearest Anna..." smirked her sister with black pixie hair. "Come to crave for attention again, are we?"

"I...no! Of course not, I..." The princess could in various other moments find her words so quickly. Now, she felt herself being paralyzed by the cold glowing eyes of her sibling.

The reflection sighed in annoyance. "Have you lost your speaking as well? Didn't lose that when you tried to talk to me from behind the doors."

"Yeah, remember that?" smiled Anna cautiously. Mirror-Elsa smiled as well, and for a moment, Anna thought she was speaking to her sister again.

"A yes... I had to spend 13 years of my life in isolation, all because a spoiled whiny brat begged for a stupid snowman." sneered Mirror-Elsa as she took Anna's chin forcefully. "Couldn't take a hint, could you? I wanted to sleep, but no...You only take, take, take, Anna! Our parents left because of that accident, that happened because you caused me to spiral out of control! You're pathetic and useless, Always was, Always has been! the unneeded, clumsy spare!" Anna couldn't keep her tears in anymore as Mirror-Elsa ranted on.

"Anna, don't listen to her, its not really Elsa!" cried Kristoff to Anna. The Mirror only seemed to glow brighter as it fed of the Princess's dispair.

"Really? She seems quite real to me." spoke Mirror-David as he stood next to Kristoff. The ice harvester looked away from the unhuman eyes of his close friend. "What's the matter, old friend? Don't even want to greet me?" scowled the twisted version of David.

"You're not real...not real... not real..." spoke the ice harvester, like a mantra. The man gulped when he felt the strong grip on his neck, nearly cutting of his breath.

"Don't seem so unreal now, Am I?" laughed David as he forced Kristoff to look into his eyes. "But then, you were Always slow to think. stupid ice man." Kristoff coughed when he felt the hand dissappear. "Don't know why I ever wanted to be friends with you, or that annoying red-head over there"

Henry meanwhile was faced with his two mothers, Regina and Emma.

"Always so disobedient" smiled Regina coldy. "You just had to break the curse, didn't you Henry? You just had to break my happy ending. I should have taken the plug out in the hospital room."

"No, mom, I...you love me! You're happy with Robin Hood, and Roland! You have friends!"

"Why would she need friends?" sneered Mirror-Emma to her son. "Why? nobody asked you to do anything Henry! i was happy before you came barging into my house, and took me to Storybrooke! I never wanted to be a damn savior!"

"I wish I could slice your throat open.." Anna's eyes flew open to see Mirror-Hans next to her twisted Sibling. The prince was in his grey coat, covered with blood and his eyes shone with an unearthly light. "I Always hated your whining... Elsa and I were very close, but one day, she shut me out! I never knew why!'" Mocked Hans as he took over Anna's voice like it was his own. "so damn gullible." Anna squarmed when she felt Hans' reflection trace his hand across her jaw. "But...The Snow Queen insists on keeping you alive...for the time-being..." Hans' cold lips kissed her lips, causing Anna to shiver at the cold radiating from him. Suddenly the prince' head went up, as if he heard a call. " I seems I gave to go... Don't worry, I'll be back soon, sweet Anna of mine..."

\---

Elsa sighed heavily when the last Golem was taken care of by Charming and Emma. That last one was really though to handle for her: Her hands shook from the exhaustion as she managed to keep the golem down with her magic. barely.

"Elsa!" the queen turned arround to see a gigantic swirm of Snow Bees come their way. Both she and Emma tried desperately to kill the vicious little Bees, but to no avail As they descended upon them all, they stung harshly in their flesh, causing blood to run from their cheeks and hands.

"Stupid-Little-Bees!" growled Emma as she blasted her magic with each word she said. "why-don't-you-just-die?"

"Emma, no-!" The savior turned arround to see an ice statue of her mother.

"NO!" Emma looked from behind her mother's silent form, ready to kill the one who did this. The Savior stiffened when she saw herself with glowing red eyes.

"hi Emma!" sneered her reflection as she attacked once more with her ice. The savior jumped out of the way of the deadly spikes, still baffled by her own reflection. "It is so nice to finally meet you..."

"You're not real! you're just a twisted version of me!" said Emma as she shielded herself from the ice.

"So they all say..." smiled her reflection coldly as she carelessly send another wave of spikes towards Emma. "Everyone has a dark side, Emma. Even you. You just need to accept it." Emma ducked again, but this time, she wasn't that Lucky: One of the spikes scratched her arm, causing the woman to roar at the blinding pain.

"I never will!"

It was not only Emma's darkest self that appeared on the continuing battle field. As each and everyone found their dobbleganger, The Bees kept attacking, leaving them vulnerable to the attacks of their strong opponents.

"Enough!" Yelled Elsa as she waved her hands, causing the Bees to smash dead on the trees, blasted away by the young queen's magic. The exhausted queen lowered her hands.

"Impressive" Elsa swirled arround to see a dark-haired version of her. "I never thought to meet you again. It seems you will be a greater challenge. I like challenges..." Elsa shot an ice spike towards her, but her opponent snatched it out of the air before it could do her damage. Mirror-Elsa clacked with her tongue.

"What do you mean, again?" asked Elsa cautious as they circled arround each other.

"Remember the ice palace?" Elsa swallowed heavily when her mind went back to that moment. "Of course you do" purred her reflection. "You wanted to see the blood flow didn't you? If only you had let me take the reels and kill those guards!"

"Those were innocent men!" countered Elsa while she trembled. "And Hans stopped me from becoming a monster!"

Her reflection cackled. "And you think it is all good and well? what of the people who died in their homes? their parlour ships? Children? Grandparents? You have even more blood on your hands then he has!" The black-haired Elsa gestured skillfully, causing multiple ice spikes to race towards Elsa with blinding speed. Elsa reacted quickly and made an ice wall to shield herself. TSK, TSK, TSK! each slam upon her wall was harsh and with great force behind it. When Elsa looked up again, she saw one of the spikes though her wall, nearly missing her head.

"And what will your sister think when she hears you have forgiven, no, even have begun to love him?"

Elsa didn't let herself think further on what she said. She waved her hands forcefully, and the wall moved towards her reflection with blinding speed. Her opponent watched impassively when the ice wall raced towards her, and the sorceress simply put up her hand, causing the wall to burst into harmless little pieces. The two ice wielders constantly switched between attacking and defending themselves from each other, while the battle arround them continued.

\---

"Here it is..." whispered Regina as she and Robin stood upon the Snow Queen's liar. Both were nervous as they heard the battle from afar.

"You think you can melt it?"

"I don't think that, I"m certain." said the Evil Queen as she set her hands ablaze. "Its just that I'm concerned that this whole place might collapse if I make it too hot." Regina concentrated her hands above the spot they had chosen and red fire shot out of her hands, making the ice crack.

"I hope the Snow Queen didn't hear that..." said Robin worried while looking slightly towards the battle noises.

"She won't. It's so loud out there, you could make a bom go off at this place" Regina stopped when she had pierced through the ice and Robin helped her carefully down on the slippery ground, before jumping down from the opening as well.

"So, where keeps the Snow Queen them?" asked Robin as they cautiously looked arround for booby traps.

"Lets find out shall we?"

\---

Hans shoved his Arrow through Doctor Whales' throat, unable to shoot him from such short range. Well, at least my last arrow is useful for something... The prince gritted his teeth as he saw the reflection shatter into tiny glass pieces. The Arrow, unable to cope with such harsh cold, broke as well. Their efforts didn't seem to pay off at all: When you were able to break such a reflection, it just reformed, back as new. And If they even touched you, you turned to solid ice, as he had witnessed already. When the prince turned arround, he saw a reflection creeping unknowingly towards Will to attack him from behind.

"Duck!" Will didn't hear him across the large battle field. Damn it. The prince's left palm stretched open, and dark green branches stretched across the large distance. Just as the reflection was about to strike the man, It was blasted against a nearby tree. Thick branches rose up the inhuman reflection to prevent it from moving away.

"Thanks mate!" called Will out.

Suddenly the prince felt something hard against his face and he fell dazed to the ground. As he tried to stand up again, he touched his head to feel something thick and wet against his fingers. Blood... "Well, well, well... " the prince felt his blood run cold when he recognized his voice. "Acting all noble now, are we?"

Hans looked up to see his reflection smirking at him. "you are a coward. you could have had it all: acceptation by your brothers, a crown, admiration from the Ardellian people... But you threw it all away, all because you hesitated to lop Elsa's head off!" Hans winced when he felt the cold take hold on his head wound and stood up once gain.

"You didn't freeze me like the others..." said Hans while cirling carefully arround him, expecting a sneak attack any moment.

"I couldn't...yet." smirked his other self. "Your magic protects you. But as you may know, I feed of guilt, despair, and unforgivable sins in the human's hearts. And there is PLENTY of that in you... I'll be free soon..."

"no, you're not. You are attached to the Mirror like Ariadnes dread... You can't survive without it!"

"You see, its a funny thing..." cackled the dark version. "I was taken out of the Mirror...but there is still someone that has to go back in it. See it as Yin and Yang. Both are opposites, but equal in force and have to be kept apart... But now that we are both in the same place..."

"You want to get me into the Mirror instead?" Hans' eyes widened when he realized what they were planning to do.

"What? No, no of course not!" laughed his reflection like it was nothing. "I'm going to-" Suddenly he launched at Hans, who had been expecting this all along. It was one of the oldest trick in the book... Still, the young prince hadn't anticipated the inhuman strength of his opponent as he was slammed several feet away.

the inhuman opponent looked with glee as Hans tried to punch him in the face as he easily avoided the man's fist. "To hate me, is to love me..."Again the prince attacked, ignoring his instincts to get away from the cold. His arm bended in a painful angle by his opponen'ts doing, and he roared from the blinding pain. The reflection consisted of Glass, and his strong nails digged into the prince's wrist, causing blood to drip on the ground. "To fear me, is to give me strength..." The prince crashed his head backwards, against the other's face. The grip on his arm dissappeared and the prince hastily conjured up a sword, made out of strong wood and thornes. As the prince took up a defensive stance, the reflection waved his hand as well, conjuring a sword made out of dark Ice.

"I lived thousands lifetimes before you and your Kind crawled out of your caves!" snarled the dobbleganger as their swords crashed. " And I was supposed to bow down to you?! You are all so easy to manipulate! Murder and deceit are Always and everywhere, Hans." The reflection of the prince had begun to sound less like his dobbleganger, and more inhuman by the second. The prince's eyes widened when he looked into the others eyes... the firey eyes of the First Fallen Angel. Fear shook his bones. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou are with me..." The Words of the Holy Book came back. He hadn't prayed for a long time, knowing that the Almighty wouldn't listen to a fallen man, an outcast... The prince barely could hold his defence against the inhuman strength of his opponent when their swords met a second time. He staggered back from the blow, but kept his stance. "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word." And the prince' silent prayer went up, not to save his own life, but the lives of his friends. Snow. Emma. Elsa... The prince's heart went faster as he thought of the fair queen and he riposted the dobbleganger's sword with a new found strength. Yet his opponent wasn't a fair player and he raised his other hand, causing the prince to be wounded at his abdomen. As the prince fell to his knees, the dobbleganger didn't stop; He waved his hand once more, and the prince flew against a tree. Hans groaned as he felt one of his ribs crack. That wasn't good... His body couldn't take it any longer and the prince fell to his hands and knees, utterly drained by his aching body.

"You think your sins are forgiven, Hans Westerguard-Andersen? I will drag you down into the lowest circle of Hell. And the traitors don't perish in fire..." The dobbleganger raised his sword to end the young man's life.

\---

"Henry!" Regina ran towards her adopted son, forgetting all carefullness as she melted the chains arround his hands. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I am" said Henry as they embraced each other. Robin, meanwhile was cutting Anna's chains off with his knife.

"Who are you?" asked Kristoff confused.

"A little thank you would be nice" said the Evil Queen as she began to melt Kristoff's other shackle off. "I'm Henry's mother."

"How can that be? I thought Emma was?" asked Anna puzzled as she massaged her stiff cold hands to get the blood circulating. The girl and Robin immediately went to Kristoff to help him get the last shackle off.

"Its not the right place to chit-chat" said Robin nervously as he looked arround. "When we get you out of here, we can give you answers."

"How can we trust you?" asked the red-head suspicously.

"We are all distracting that Snow Queen to bust you all out. Your sister, as well as Ginger boy are out there too" said Regina impatiently as Robin let a shivering Henry to the exit. "Don't let their efforts be wasted..." the Queen looked upon the glowing Mirror of Reason. "That thing must be destroyed"

"That thing is imbuded with much magic...You can't smash it with some ordinary hammer..." said the Ice harvester.

"We'll find a way" said the Evil Queen uncertain. "But first, we need to-"

a scream echoed through the cave and the three looked startled to where it came from. The exit... That must be Henry and Robin!

"I'm sorry I'm late..." The three stopped running towards the exit and turned arround to where the voice came from. Regina's face paled when she saw herself come out of the shadows. She wore the exact same dress she wore at the Charmings wedding. "Hallo Regina."

\---

"Go to the back, and wait." Hook looked to the Dark one as they stopped before Granny's shop. "You'll know when you need it." Both men departed from each other. As Hook dissappeared to the backside of the building, Gold entered Granny's. They were all busy with reading books and taking notes, while others walked arround to compare theories on how to break the Mirror. When they noticed him, shock and suprise was clearly written on their faces before it turned cold and emotionless.

"What do you want?" asked Blue coldly as she saw him enter.

"Excuse me, but I want to borrow my wife for a minute" spoke Rumple as he walked towards the Brunette. "Belle, I need you to get somewhere safe. All our darkest selves are marching this way... I won't be at ease if you're not safe. "

"Rumple, I can't leave them! We're close to find a solution. Please be patient, I'll go with you when things are really getting rough." said the girl while Hook sneaked to the seperating door between him and the fairies.

"Well, untill you have found it...I'll keep you company" smiled Rumple. "Perhaps I'll be helpful" Blue's eyes went up when she heard the Dark one. She didn't like this at all. he walked in and oso asked politely to help them. There had to be a reason for all this...

"This is light magic, dark one."

"Well, perhaps I'll learn something" smiled Gold to the fairy. When Belle turned arround, his eyes darkened. You'll be regretting everything you did to me, little moth...


	21. Shattered Souls Part 1

Regina swallowed heavily when her reflection walked towards her. "Get out of here, now!" whispered the Evil Queen to the young couple. She didn't want them to get hurt. And besides, if the Snow Queen came back it would be all for nothing...

"Leaving so soon?" A twisted version of Robin came out of the shadows as well as he pushed Henry and Robin forcefully to the group. "That's rude. You're special guests here!"

"I'm not you. Not anymore." snarled Regina as she threw a ball of fire towards her reflection. it yawned in utter boredom and extinguished it without difficulty with her Ice. "How's that possible?" said the Evil Queen unbelievingly as she saw the Icy magic from her other self.

"The Snow Queen stood in front of the Mirror when it became complete...We can not only absorb someone's pain and guilt, but their magical abilities as well, since we're connected...Very kind of her..." Her reflection waved her hands, while Regina did the same. Fire and Ice met in-between the two dobblegangers. "Are you happy, Regina?" shrieked the reflection angrily. "Look what it caused you, only pain and heartbreak like with Daniel! Why do you even care for that woman anyway! she's as good as dead! Robin will never leave her for you!" Regina's eyes became wet at the remarks, but her grief made her who she was today. She knew how to switch her grief to Anger. And so, the Evil Queen doubled her efforts.

"I may have done terrible things in my life. But I am truly sorry for everything. And a truly regretful sinner, always gets a chance to redeem themselves before God's throne. And I will do everything in what is left of my life, to repent my sins before Him!"

Kristoff took Henry out of harm's way when Robin and his dobbleganger began to fight. "Get out of here! We hold them off!" yelled Robin as his hand went for his knife. "Quick, before the Snow Queen comes!"

"Come on!" said Kristoff while he held his arms protectively arround his fiancé and the kid as they ran towards the exit. Suddenly Kristoff felt Anna's warm body dissappear and he looked arround to search her. "Anna! What are you doing?"

"My mother's letter! It dropped somewhere!" said the girl as she looked to the ground.

"Leave that stupid paper!" yelled Regina as she conjured a large fire wall before her to melt her opponents Ice. "I can't hold on for much longer!"

"Got it!" cried Anna as she leeped up from the ground while she waved the letter in her hand. "I go- AAAAH!" ZZZFFFF! the princess ducked from a flying arrow. It did get its target, though: Idunn's letter was pinned on the Ice wall behind Anna. "No! the letter!" The girl took hold of the Arrow and tried to take it out of the wall. it wasn't simple though. The force behind the flight had caused it to be imbedded deeply into the ice. Anna groaned as she managed slowly to pull it out. Just as she succeeded and took the letter back into her hands, the Twin of Regina noticed her inattention, and shot an ice spike towards the girl.

"Anna look out!" roared Regina as she pushed the girl away. "AAAH!" The Evil Queen roared when an ice spike went through her stomach. Anna quickly catched her before she fell on the ground.

'Regina!" Robin instinctively ran towards her, but was knocked on the ground by his dobbleganger. The man saw only stars before his eyes. His head felt like it had been split open upon impact with the ground.

"Get off him!" roared Henry as he sprung on the reflections back. Mirror-Robin staggered under the sudden weight of the child, giving Robin the time to stand up once again.

"Stupid little brat!" roared Robin as he took Henry of him and threw him against the wall. It left the kid unconcious by the hard blow on his bleeding head.

Kristoff meanwhile had managed to get to Regina and Anna, who had taken the large ice spike out of her body. As she bandaged the Evil Queen with her rose cape, Kristoff was faced with Regina's reflection.

"Get out of my way, Boy!" Snarled the dark shadow.

Kristoff took the large, bloody spike in his large hand as his only defence. The Evil queen laughed at the Sami boy's futile attempt to defend the two woman behind him and raised her glowing hands.

\---

Rumple had finally convinced Belle to get away from the fairies, so Hook could do his work. When his wife went inside, an angry pirate with a hat came out of his hidden spot. "Here. Its done." said Hook as he pressed the Hat harshly into Rumple's hand. "You know, she truly loves you. You can have her forever or all the power in the world, its your choice."

"I don't need to choose. I can and will have both." said Gold as he walked passed the pirate to get inside.

"Now that's settled, are we done?" asked Hook as he turned arround.

"Oh, no. I'm not giving up control over you just yet." said Gold while he pointed to the man. "Not untill I have everything that I need."

"What's-" the pirate stopped talking when he saw himself walk towards them. "bloody hell..."

Gold turned arround to see Hook's darkest self come their way. "hum. very impressive of her indeed." With a wave of his hand, the reflection exploded in tiny glass pieces. Hook quickly averted his eyes, as for not to be inflicted with the Mirror shards. When he carefully opened one eye, he saw how Rumple collected the tiny pieces in a small snow globe. "There...that should do it."

"Why did you save my life when you could have let me be killed?" asked Hook when Rumple let the globe dissappear.

"Like I said. I still need you, Pirate. Tommorow, everything shall be complete...including your life" said Rumple as he walked towards the door of his shop. "Enjoy your last day here..."

\---

"Goodnight sweet prince..." smirked Hans' twin maliciously as he pointed his sword to the prince's neck, ready to thrust it through the soft flesh. "Ah!" the twin dropped his sword when Hans kicked the reflection in-between his legs. The reflections' hands went to his more private parts, cluthing the area in pain where Hans' foot had hit. The prince quickly stood up again and punched him in the face. Hans smiled when he heard a satisfying crack on the other's nose, and he punched him again, this time on his jaw. When he tried to punch him a third time however, his twin catched his wrist. Hans stumbled back when the twin's fist connected with his left eye. He didn't had time to recover from the hard blow, as he suddenly felt his air supply dissappear. "Hmmm..." pondered the reflection while he held Hans effortlessly above the ground. "Lets see...snapping your neck is not painful enough... Slicing your artery open? too short..." The twin morfed his hand into a sharp icy dagger. The weapon was thrusted into the small wound the prince had already gained by their fight, and the prince roared as he felt the knife being twisted agonizingly slow in his body.

\---

The battle continued on, and as the inhabitants began to tire more and more, so did their dobblegangers grow in strength and ferocity. Elsa dodged and avoided the strong attacks, but she knew she couldn't keep it up forever. Sooner or later, her opponent would get through her defence. An ice pilar began to form under her feet. It was meant to throw her of balance, but the young queen used the momentum of the rising pilar to jump on her adversary. Her reflection didn't see it coming and so, both dobbelgangers rolled on the ground while they tried to get the upper hand. Their ice cracked in their hands; not only to kill their opponent, but to protect themselves as well.

Elsa quickly rolled, to avoid being stuck between the ground and her opponent, and she willed her magic to create the strongest shackles she could think of. Her reflection screamed angrily when her hands suddenly got lashed onto the ground. Elsa didn't pay attention to the curses her reflection yelled and set her hands aglow again, to create a sharp long ice spike in her hands.

"Go on!" sissed her reflection. "Do it, little queen! Finish it!" The ice spike trembled in the young queen's hands. Should she really do this? If she killed her darkest self...Wouldn't she go down the same path as her reflection, and become intoxicated with what she was capable of? Suddenly Elsa understood Hans' temptation for a throne more then ever. The power to rule...every word you said, became the truth itself...And nobody could stop me...

The young queen disintegrated the spike in her hands and stood up once again.

"What are you doing?" shrieked her shocked reflection. "Kill me!"

"No. I'm not going to kill you." said Elsa while she disintegrated the shackles as well from her dobbleganger. "If I did so, I would become the exact thing I killed."

"You're weak!" growled her reflection. "You're afraid to even face me and look me in the eye!"

"Do I look afraid to you?" asked Elsa sharply while she took hold of her chin. "You are me. Yin and Yang. Dark and Light. One can not exist without the other. I won't deny your existence any longer..."

the black-haired Elsa looked baffled to her blonde twin. "Being angry, feeling grief and hate isn't what makes our weak. It isn't bad at all to feel those things. It makes us human. We just need to keep our emotions in balance and accept those parts in ourselves."

Elsa swore she saw tears glinstering in her twins eyes and she took hold of her hand. The moment she did so, her twin disintegrated into tiny snowflakes. Elsa slowly breathed out, feeling...complete. She didn't had other words for it. This was the solution! They shouldn't fight their dobblegangers...They should accept them as a part of themselves!

\---

"Stop!" yelled the icy voice of The Snow Queen to Regina's and Robin's evil twins.

"Mistress!" Regina's reflection bowed, as did Robins towards the sorceress.

"I told you to be patient and only kill them when I gave the order..." said the silver-haired woman while she shackled Regina and Henry back against the wall.

"We weren't, Mistress." said Robin's twin while he kept a knife against Robin's back. "We're just having some fun." Robin hissed in pain when he felt the sharp point cut into his flesh.

The Snow Queen returned her attention to a shivering Anna and Kristoff who and laid his arms protectively arround her. "Don't worry, Anna...You and your sister will be re-united soon...in the afterlife. But I'm not completely heartless, especially for all the help you have given me." Anna shivered under the cold touch of the sorceress. "I will kill you last so you can watch the others die by my hand..." The Snow Queen sent out a silent command towards her creations.

\---

"Emma!" cried Elsa as she rushed towards the still fighting Savior. "Emma, stop fighting her! You don't need to- aaah!" The young queen quickly dodged an attack from the Savior's reflection. "Emma, the more you try to deny it, the more aggresive they will become! You have to accept it!"

"Are you nuts, Elsa!' cried Emma as she attacked her twin again. "They are just pure evil!"

"No, Emma, they aren't! You just-" Both women screamed when Emma's twin blasted them both against a tree while frost began to cover their bodies. Thanks to their magic it went at a much slower pace, protecting the two sorceresses.

"Now lets see... who of the two shall I kill first?" pondered Emma's reflection. "One, two, three..." each time she counted her finger went back and forth between Elsa and Emma. "four, five!" Her finger stopped by her twin. "Goodbye, Emma. I'll make great use of your life..." The twin raised her hands, but suddenly stopped by the Snow Queen's voice in her head. She wasn't the only one; across the battle field, all the reflections listened to their Mistress.

"Our victory is secure, my Sweethearts. The Golden Child didn't manage to escape. Bring all our enemies here with me. Including those who you have frozen over. This so they all can see how hard they have failed in their mission."

Hans felt the pressure on his neck loosen up and he coughed for air as he was dropped carelessly on the ground by his twin. When he made contact with the ground, he gasped from the painful injuries.

"It seems I have to take you with me..." commented his twin, not content that the Snow Queen had stopped him. Before Hans could ask what he meant by that, his twin took hold of his shoulder, before transporting him to the Snow Queens liar.

It was not only Hans who appeared with his evil twin. As he tried to shake his dizziness out of his head, he saw others appear arround him as well: Ruby. Granny. Grumpy... Then there came Will, Snow and Charming, who had been frozen by the evil reflections...

"Hans?" The prince shifted his attention towards the sound and his heart sank when he saw Anna, Kristoff and Henry. He had hoped their efforts wouldn' t be in vain, that they would have escaped from the Snow Queen's clutches.

"Get down, Bastard!" yelled his twin, causing Hans to grunt in pain when he was forced on his knees. The harsh gesture caused another wave of pain from his injuries.

"God, you look like you came out of your grave..." Anna looked worried upon the prince's battered body. As more and more people appeared, it was clear Hans wasn't an exception: There was no-one who didn't bleed.

The Snow Queen looked arround the group, seeking for someone in particular. Ingrid 'cold eyes shone maliciously when she saw Emma and Elsa appear by Emma's evil twin. The mighty sorceress waved her hands, and the people who had been frozen, thawed at her command. It was not a mercy she granted for them; Before they could even blink, their reflections took harshly hold of their weak bodies and pushed them on their knees like the rest of the group.

"Finally..." sissed the Snow Queen as she stared to Hans, and the young man avoided her burning gaze by looking to the ground. "Finally, I win... Nothing to say, Savior?" said the sorceress mockingly to woman next to Elsa. "No speech about Hope, and that Good Always wins? that there is a happy ending for you all?" The silver-haired woman turned her attention to a still shivering Snow white. "Oh wait, i believe it was your mantra, wasn't it Snow?"

it was eerily quiet in the cave when the Snow Queen passed by, her slow Icy heels clacking loudly in the echoeing cave. " Now...who shall I dispose of first?" Her heels stopped before the young Ardellian queen who desperately tried to break free from the reflection's strong grip. "Yes, you seem a good choice to start with..."

"No!" screamed Kristoff while he was held back by Robin's twin.

"Elsa!" Anna yelled when she felt Regina's reflection take her by her braid.

The Snow Queen didn't listen to the couple's begging, neither from those from Emma or any other Storybrooke inhabitant. The Snow Queen's hand glowed white and the queen closed his eyes for the inavoidable...

"NO! NO stop please! don't hurt her!" cried Hans while he tried to get to the woman. "Please! I do anything! anything, just don't harm her!" He couldn't lose her like Aliya!

"That's it..." purred the Snow Queen when she shifted her gaze towards the crying prince. "Beg, young prince. Beg for the woman you love, who will never return those feelings..." But when the Snow Queen looked back to Elsa. She knew that look in her eyes. She had seen it with the prince too... "Oh, but that is just marvelous!" cackled the Snow Queen as she looked back and forth between the two. "You hear this, sweet Anna? Your sister is in love with the man who tried to kill you both!" Both Elsa and Hans didn't look away from each other as the Snow Queen kept taunting them further

Anna looked with tears in her eyes to the scene before her. There was no hate in her heart anymore for the prince who once lied to her; She saw how desperate he tried to break free from his evil twin and she could see the sincerity in his eyes...

"Ah...Love..." sniggered the woman as she circled arround Elsa's trembling body. "Such a strong bond between two people... and yet... so easily to break!" Elsa screamed when the Snow Queen mercilessly put an spike through her chest. Red thick blood began to trickle down the floor, in an alarming fast rate. That wasn't the only thing. While Elsa's life force slipped away, her blonde braid slowly began to change back to his Original, brown color that she had inherited from her mother...

"NO!"

"Elsa! NO!"

\---

"Elsa!"

ZSSSSH! Hans saw the Mirror repair itself as the last piece fell into place. At the same time fell the queen to the ground. 

"No!"

The prince felt his feet come loose and he sprinted to the young woman, only to be in time to see her draw her last breath. As he watched her life slip away, her white braid turned dark brown.

\---

The prince didn't scream when Elsa fell down on the icy floor. Nor did he cry. He had already lost so many, he had run out of tears a very long time ago. He remembered wondering how long he had untill the dream came out... Here was his answer. icy heels came clacking towards him, but he paid no attention to the approaching Snow Queen as his sight was only filled with the dying queen in front of him.

"Go on..." whispered the prince with hollow eyes. "End it.." His strength had left him completely. After all, what was left for him to fight for?

"AAAAH!" The Snow Queen didn't expect a blur of red hair ram against her body and both fell on the ground. "You killed my sister!" yelled Anna with a red teary face. The anger for harming her sibling caused Anna get the upper hand...for the moment.

The Ice harvester began to run towards the fighting duo, when he suddenly noticed the worn letter from Queen Idunn. The man hesitated when his gaze switched back and forth between Anna and the paper. Although the man didn't had the Sight like his cousin did, he felt drawn to the paper, as if all the solutions were written on it... Kristoff knelt to pick it up and began to read it quickly.

As both women rolled on the ground, a few tears fell from Anna's eyes unknowingly on the Snow Queen's pale skin... The suprise element was gone, and with a careless gesture from the Snow Queen, flew Anna across the cave on the hard ground. While the girl desperately tried to get up again, the Snow Queen turned her attention back to Hans once more while conjuring a long ice spear in her hand.

Hans looked emotionless into the sorceress' eyes as she raised the weapon to end his life. But then suddenly something strange occured... The Snow Queen suddenly let her weapon fall on the ground as she gasped in pain. Her hand went for her neck, where the wet tears of Anna began to burn on her skin. The icy sorceress stumbled back in utter shock. As everyone watched to the strange scene before them, they saw how the silver hair of the woman changed, just like Elsa did. Instead of becoming brown, the Snow Queen's hair became auburn, but still with a few silver-grey strings...

it wasn't the only strange thing that happened. The Mirror of Reason began to glow, changing its color to dark-purple. Before any could comment on the strange sight, a beam came out of the Mirror, going straight towards the Snow Queen.

"is that..." whispered Emma in shock as the purple glow went into the Snow Queen's forehead. "Are those memories?"

When the last bit of troll magic dissappeared, the Snow Queen opened her eyes once again, looking arround the cave as if it was the first time she ever saw it. Anna, who had been unconcious during this strange event, got up again, ready to attack the woman once more, when Kristoff stopped her.

"Anna, wait!" whispered Kristoff while he held the red-head back. "Its alright, she won't hurt us anymore!"

"But- she-" The princess now noticed the auburn-grey hair from the sorceress. "Thats the same colour of that of Hans... Is she-"

"Yes" said the Ice-harvester astonished while the woman looked confused arround.

"But...that means..."

"Mother?" whispered the shocked prince, causing Gerda to swirl arround to face him. Her eyes had changed too: There weren't icy blue anymore, but warm apple-green like those of Hans. It was quiet for a long time in the cave as Mother and son looked upon each other. Gerda looked with trembling lips to the battered body of her son, before looking to all the other people present in the room. She...she had caused all this... With a wave of her hand let Gerda the reflections disintegrate in tiny snowfakes, causing relief for everyone in the room. Yet, everyone stayed completely quiet, still shocked by what had happened.

As Gerda knelt slowly by her son, she saw him recoil, as he still had difficulty to place the Snow Queen and his mother as the same person. "Hans..." Gerda's hand slowly went up to touch his face. The prince flinched when she touched him, and tears began to fall from her cheeks. God. Her own son didn't even recognize her...

Hans still expected her touch to be stone cold, but it wasn't that harsh anymore: it was more like Elsa's body temperature now... The prince paled when he thought again of the young queen. "Elsa..."

Gerda followed her son's gaze to the young woman. Anna and Kristoff, who had run towards her, tried desperately to stop Elsa from bleeding to death. Her braid was now for more then half-way brown. Robin had taken over Anna's task and kept Regina alive with Anna's rose cape to keep the blood loss to a minimum. They weren't the only ones. Everyone who could still stand, was helping the others with their injuries or moving them outside to the hospital.

"This letter...It was from Queen Idunn..." said Kristoff softly to his aunt while he opened the letter. "I feel you should know-" Gerda stopped her nephew from talking and she closed her eyes as another wave of grief passed through her body. She killed them in cold blood... When she opened her teary eyes again, she gently gave the letter back to Kristoff.

"I'm not worthy of her words, Kristoff. I have murdered her and her husband. I couldn't help your parents. And..." Gerda fell on her knees before them. "I nearly killed my son, and stabbed his true love dead before his eyes..."

Hans didn't say anything as he was focused on the task before him: trying to delay Elsa's death. His hands waved arround the gaping wound, and al the different healing plants he knew, bloomed up at his command to stop the infection and heal her. The prince gritted his teeth as he enhanced the plant's abilities by tenfold with his magic. He sighed exhausted when he saw that the braid didn't become brown any further.

"That wasn't you..." said Anna, who didn't want the woman to feel guilty for her actions. "Someone took your memories away and made an alter ego of you... Why do such horrible things?"

"Oh, there are many reasons for that, young princess..."

Everyone looked to the Mirror of Reason, that had begun to glow bright white again. To everyone's shock their reflections in the Mirror dissappeared, to see a shadowy figure of a man come towards the glass...

"I thought everyone had already faced their darkest self?" asked Hans while glancing towards his mother.

"They have..." said Gerda, who was just as astonished as him. "No one should come out again, not unless I command it to..."

"O, you were never in command here, Gerda..." cackled the voice. "I simply made you believe that." A foot appeared outside the Mirror, and the mysterious man walked through the Mirror like a curtain. He was quite small now he stood in the cave. He was about the same height as Grumpy. His hair was white from age, but it seemed to become light red again, almost as if he rejuvinated again. "Lets trade, shall we?!" smirked the Duke of Weaselton coldly.


	22. Shattered Souls part 2

Arendelle, 1823

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find anything to hold on too; the force of the avalanche smashed on her body. the heavy snow began to suffocate her, crushing her bones underneath its large weight... I was going to die... Suddenly the ground dissappeared from beneath her, and she felt the wind blowing on her body. She was falling! She screamed as pure fear came over her, but the giant rumble of the avalanche smothered her cries. A blinding pain on her back took the air out of her lungs and she choked as she rolled further downwards. CRACK! The collision between Gerda's head and a giant grey rock made the girl see black. The pain her body had to endure, was so huge it went into its natural defense mechanism: shutting the body down from any more harm. Soon, harsh evening winds came up as night began to set in, blanketing the area with the three people in white cold frost.

\---

"How did you end up in that Mirror?" asked Kristoff, who was the first to get out of his shocked state.

"There are many ways" smiled the short man while he walked arround the group. Almost all the other people had already left, besides Emma, Charming and a still gravely wounded Regina. "Oh, dear..." The duke saw the two bleeding women on the ground. "They don't look so good..." As the duke walked arround, they all kept their eyes on him, ready to attack or defend.

"You know him?!" asked Robin while he slowly helped Regina up. He had managed to bandage the wound but it wouldn't last long. She needed medical care immediately.

"Yes...He was that sniveling Weasel Duke I told you about earlier...Seems you get the chance after all, to take him on..." said Hans while keeping his eyes on the short man. You still didn't answer our question" said Hans to the duke with narrowed eyes. "How, and why did you attach yourself to the Mirror? You know the Northern Legend: Whoever does that, has-"

"-made a contract with the Devil himself, I know" shrugged the duke nonchalantly the prince's sentence away. "But they never tell you how good the power is that you get with it... To control everyone with just a simple thought..." It caused the prince to become red with rage. HE had made him attempt regicide on Elsa and Anna?!

"So, that's what its all about? Power?" asked the Red-head from her knelt position next to Elsa.

"A part of it..." smiled the duke maliciously as he locked his lustfull eyes on Gerda. "Mostly for the reason to destroy a certain girl's happiness..."

"I told you, weasel, I didn't want to marry you" said Gerda coldly. "I thought I made that point quite clear multiple times over." The Snow Queen's hands shook from anger. "All this, is because you couldn't get me as your price?!"

"Yes." said the duke while he approached her. "You, such a beautiful flower should be given everything of wealth..." His eyes stood dilated and far away. "But then...You just left me to search for your brother! That boy was as good as dead anyway...I was there for you...I loved you! But I was patient...o YES, I was patient for you Gerda..."

Kristoff and Anna glanced to each other worriedly. that guy had created some sick obsession about Gerda, a made up fantasy. He was nuts... But even crazy people can be dangerous.

"When you came back, I knew you would go with me, far away...But then that King made you false promises, enchanted you with his honeyied words! He didn't have the right to have you! He was already married! I had to try, Gerda... to take you away from that snake!"

"I have seen this before, Duke." interrupted Gerda with a sharp voice. "This isn't love. It never was even close to that! You will be put on trial by both The Southern Isles and Arendelle, for attempting murder on both royal families. Any last words before the authorities in this land take you away?" The Duke snarled at her words and stepped towards her, when Kristoff stopped him from coming too near her.

"Ah, the end?" chuckled the Duke while keeping his creepy eyes on the Snow Queen. "You think this is the end already, sweet Gerda? It has only just begun..."

"Yeah, like you can take on the Snow Queen" snorted Anna. "She'll crush you before you can say 'snowman'."

Gerda didn't comment on the girl's courageous words and Hans glanced towards his mother. Something wasn't right...

\---

"mmmm..." Gerda groaned as she gained concious again. immediately, she felt the cold surging through her pained body and she blinked to see the Aurora Borealis up in the sky. She had to get away from here... The woman tried to move her arm, but frowned when she couldn't. Again, she tried, but her body didn't seem to obey her commands. She couldn't move! Fear began to wash over her. She couldn't move her limbs anymore! that fall on her back... Tears began to form on her eyes and she quickly blinked as the cold air began to freeze them on her face. No! she couldn't die here! she had to go back, to... Her mind reeled. To...Gerda couldn't keep her tears back anymore. She didn't remember to where she had to go! She shifted her head; at least that was something that still seemed to work and she saw two people laying somewhat further away, mangled by the same fall. At least, that's what she theorized. She may have lost her memories, (hopefully only for a short time-period!), but she felt in her heart that she knew them...

"Ahoy! Over here they are, my lord!" The woman looked towards the direction from where the voice came.

"I'm here!" rasped Gerda hoarshly to get the soldiers attention. "I'm here!" Her vision began to swim, from both exhaustion and the cold. Vaguely she could make out a face that came to check on her.

"My Lord...There is still someone alive!" shouted a voice close to her. "She needs to get medical care immediately!" Gerda felt something by her mouth. "Drink up, girl...Don't worry, no harm will come to you..." Gerda slowly sipped from the bottle, but the strong alcohol made her cough nonetheless. "Take it easy..." Gerda felt the drink go down her stomach as the warmth spread through her body. "Now... can you stand up?"

"I can't..." whispered Gerda, seeing the brown eyes of the soldier. They stood full of pity and worry for her... "I can't move my limbs anymore..." A harsh sound made the woman turn her head, to see soldiers plunder the sledge and slice the reindeer's belly open. "What...what are they doing? Get away, now!" The soldiers didn't hear the woman's pleas and just went on.

"Oy, Rudolf!" barked the soldier to one of the plundering men. "That sledge belongs to this girl, not you!"

"You're not the one to give orders to me, Jarle!" said the man while taking a warm cozy reindeer pelt for himself. "The Duke gave us permission!"

"Like I believe such a thing from your mouth!" snarled the soldier back. "My Lord!" The man barked loud and clear through the harsh winds. "They are stealing the girl's properties! This is unacceptable!"

"It is unacceptable if I deem it so, Captain Jarle" said the Duke emotionless as he approached him and Gerda. The Duke looked uncaring into the girl's eyes. "You said she wasn't able to walk anymore, Captain?"

"Yes, my Lord!" said the Captain relieved that the Duke wouldn't stand by to let a girl freeze to death. "She needs to be brought to the Queen!"

"No, she's not." said the short man coldly, causing Jarle's eyes to widen in shock.

"My Lord, The Queen asked us to-"

"The Queen is not here, Captain." Jarle stood angrily up.

"With all your respect sir, I was trained to protect my citizens, not to let them die without help!"

"But you were trained to follow orders, Captain." The Duke pointed to the wimpering woman. "Make an end to her life." Jarle took slowly his dagger out of his sheath before letting it clatter on the icy ground. "Very well... You threw away a promising carrier, Captain." The Captain quickly got forced on his knees, while Gerda lay in the snow, powerless to do anything.

"No!" whispered the girl as she saw how her rescuer's throat got slit open by the soldiers. "No!" The girl's cries for the innocent good men were truly chilling for all the men to hear. Her grief however quickly turned to a burning hate towards the cruel men, that now raised their swords to end her life.

Gerda looked back up to the Aurora Borealis. Lord in Heaven, Holy is thou name...Hear my Prayer. Let my suffering end. Let me feel no cold nor any pain anymore.... The cold gleaming sword danced before her eyes. Still, there was still guilt in her mind... A baby with dark brown hair danced before her eyes. Let me ease my guilt, My Lord, for I am not worthy yet...

The sword came down. A blind hot pain came over her body before descending into darkness.

\---

"Go on, Gerda...Tell them what price you had to pay..." laughed the Duke when Gerda didn't say anything.

"Mother?" pressed Hans on, when Gerda stayed silent.

Gerda swallowed. "When I completed the Mirror... It attached itself to me, since I was the first to look upon it. It feeds of my life-force...and my abilities as well..."

"All straight to me" smiled the Duke as frost began to come out of his hands. "Now, Mankind will finally know again why they should fear the cold. The era of the Snow Queen is over." His green eyes began to glow a dark blue. "It is time for a new ruler of Ice and Snow..." He waved his hand, and a staff appeared in his hand, causing the ground to galm when he putted it on the ground.

"You may have taken a part of my abilities, Duke, But you never are or will be The Ruler of North." spoke Gerda as she came forward.

"Speak as boldly as you want, Gerda..." snorted the man as they circled arround each other. "But you and I both know your powers are almost completely channeled to me..."

"Get Elsa and Regina out of here" spoke Hans to Anna and Robin. Things would get rough in a few seconds. He didn't want them to be in the middle of the canon fire. The young prince took his stance beside his mother, as did Emma.

"No! I'm not going-" Anna stopped when the Ice Harvester put his hand on her shoulder.

"Anna, this is beyond you. Like Hans said, Get them out of here, along with Robin. We'll deal with this."

"But...What can you do to help?" Anna saw the Ice harvester's eyes glow white for a second.

"I have my own tricks" smiled Kristoff as he helped Anna take Elsa in her arms. He glanced towards the duke and the Snow Queen.

"You haven't seen all what I can do, Duke" spoke Gerda sharply as her hands began to glow white. "Now, for the last time: stand down, before I'm forced to kill you!"

"YOU should better stand down, Gerda. Don't want that pretty son of yours getting killed would we?"

Gerda's eyes darkened and when Hans wanted to retort, she waved her hand to stop him. "No, Hans. He's mine" it came out as a snarl.

"Gerda...that's what he wants! He knows we three can take him down, so he's trying to seperate us! Don't let your anger cloud your judgement" said Emma while keeping an eye on the Duke. "Let-"

The Savior's sentence died on her lips when The Duke crashed his staff on the ground, making two gigantic golems appear.

"Not this again..." groaned Hans while slapping his palm against his face. "Why not an Ice dragon? That would be a nice change..." Not a second after the prince said those words, a dragon formed as well by the Duke's command.

"You had to ask, didn't you?" said Emma accusingly to the sheepish looking prince.

\---

They worked quickly; Soon, Kay and Sigunn had heavy stones arround their chests by a tight rope, and they dropped them into the Lake. For a moment, the couple floated still by the air in their lungs, but the stones pulling them down made them dissappear forever under the cold surface. Just when they wanted to give Gerda the same treatment, they stopped when they suddenly heard singing voices.

"What is that?" asked Rudolf when they all turned towards the sound. "An ambush?"

"idiot! why would they sing?" snarled his comerade Aksel. "It are those Sami People no doubt!" The men turned towards the Duke, asking silently what they had to do now.

"Hide you idiots! If they see us and report it to the Queen, We'll all be hanged for high treason!" sissed the short man while they all searched for a hiding place.

When the Sami passed by the terrible scene, they immediately noticed the girl and began to speak in their native tongue. The Duke didn't understand what they said of course, but the tone of their voices said enough...Cries of suprise and shock was very noticable. Which meant...the girl STILL wasn't dead yet. The Duke gritted his teeth. You can't trust those sell swords to carry out such work. No, he had to do this by himself to make absolutely sure she was gone from this world. They all watched as one of the Ice harvesters picked the girl carefully up into their sledge, and they went off. The Duke, along with his sell swords, quickly followed them; Since the reindeer had to carry their precious Ice blocks, those stinking Sami people and had to struggle against the harsh wind, it wasn't that hard. After walking a mile or so, the Duke and his men came by a warm blooming valley with round rocks. The short man frowned. Why would they come here? there are no medics nearby... His eyes, as well as those of his men, widened when he saw the rocks move towards the Sami people. Those were...trolls?! The Duke looked unbelievingly to the mythical creatures. He thought they had gone into legend! But Apperently, the North still had some secrets to be uncovered. Who knows what else he could find here!

They watched from afar as one of the greater rocks, mostly likely the leader of those creatures, examined the girl's wrist for a pulse. The Troll shook his head and the Duke could have screamed from joy at that moment, if he wasn't so fascinated by those creatures. If those trolls exist...Would that Mirror exist too? The Duke's eyes gleamed with malice. What possibilites such glass could give him! He was shaken out of his thoughts when cries came from the Ice Harvesters. The Duke narrowed his eyes to see Gerda's hair turn silver-white, and her skin turn pale as a skeleton. The scared Sami people shuffled backwards, even the troll King looked in a mix of shock and awe to the girl's sudden transformation. What in Satan's name... That girl even defied death to acidify his life!

\---

"Right..." said Anna fearfully when she saw the frightening creatures. "Perhaps it is indeed better to move Elsa away from this..." Her worry for her sibling won from the need to help the three magicians. The princess grunted as she picked her unconcious sibling up. Just like Hans, She too had trained with instructors for many years, strengthening her arms in the process. The Solid proof to that, was the punch she had given Hans two years ago. At first the sword fighting was only to ease her boredom, but as the years passed she took it more seriously. "Don't worry, Elsa...I got you" whispered Anna while she took her sister away from the battle. The Queen's braid, as a sign of her life force, didn't seem to color further brown after Hans' treatment. Anna felt again gratitude come over her when she thought of the auburn-haired prince and she glanced shortly backwards to see Kristoff, Hans and Emma fight those golems...wait. where was the..."AAAAAH!"

A large ice wall cut her off from the exit and she looked behind her, to see the ice dragon stamp towards her.

"Anna!" It was Robin, who had made it to the other side, just before the exit was closed off. "Anna!"

"Get Regina to safety!" yelled Anna back to the prince of thieves. "Don't worry about me! I'll be fine!" As fine as she could be with a giant ice dragon on her trail...

\---

The woman woke up and looked confused arround her. Where was she? There were people standing somewhat further away, looking at her in fear. She frowned. What had she done that was so terrible? She gasped when she felt something hard against her skin. Immediately, she felt something cold surge through her veins. What... She looked at her frosted hands. It should hurt...Such frostbite could cause unbearable pain...Yet she felt unharmed.

"You are safe, Child" spoke a voice next to her. "No harm will come to you. I'm Gran Pabbie" She looked downwards to the little rock creature. "What is your name?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again. What was her name indeed? She frowned deeply, so hard her head began to throb. Her hand went upwards trying to massage her forehead. "I...I can't remember. I don't remember anything!"

Gran Pabbie watched in awe as the panicking woman created a snow storm. In his valley no less, where he had put on a spell to keep their home safe. If they didn't had that protection spell, they would die: their bodies would crack, and split apart by the harsh Northern weather. Still, this was the only magical place left for them to survive, as all the other countries had banished them...

"My dear, you must calm down! You made quite a fall from a cliff..." said Gran Pabbie as he took the woman's hands in his. He winced at the cold, but kept his hands at the same place. "I suspect the knock on your head caused you a temporarily memory loss... over time, you will surely remember who you are..."

The woman dried her tears and looked to the Ice harvesters, who's shock had been replaced by utter...admiration. She couldn't explain their faces otherwise. "are you the ones who brought me here?"

"Indeed..." spoke the oldest as he bowed towards her. The Snow Queen looked suprised by the gesture, but returned the gesture with a nod of her head.

"Then I'm truly in your debt..." she let the sentence linger, to ask the man silently what his name was.

"Hedon." spoke the bulky harvester.

The woman realized he too was expecting a name from her. She thought shortly. "I'm Ingrid..."

The Duke watched from behind the rocks, not being seen by either the trolls, the Ice harvesters or Ingrid. Well, well, that little minx couldn't remember who she was...that plays into my advantage.

"Or at least, that's how I call me now." said the Snow Queen with a little smile. "Can I ask you one more favor, Gran Pabbie?"

"If it is in my power to do so" said the Troll king.

"I want my memories back. You said I should give it time, but I don't have any I'm afraid..." All this time, she felt a nagging inside her mind and heart. Something that troubled her enormously for whoever she was in her other life. "Can you search for someone who can do this?"

The Troll King smiled kindly to the woman. "You don't have to search further, Ingrid. I can help you with that..." With a wave of his hand, A purple glow came from her forehead, and Ingrid blinked, to see in the Troll's hand a small stone. "Brew this stone with some water, and go back to where you were found...When you drink the tea completely, your memories will return."

"Thank you so much..." smiled Ingrid as she took the stone with great care in her hand.

"Your highness" came Hedon forward. "If it pleases you, we can bring you back to where we found you."

Ingrid shifted her head away, blushing from how the man adressed her. "I don't believe you should call me like that, Hedon. Only those from Royal blood..."

"You are a Queen to us" spoke another, younger Ice harvester. "A Queen of Snow and Ice..."

"A Snow Queen!" yelled another Ice Harvester.

Ingrid blushed, flattered from the kindness these people were offering her. She nodded once more to Gran Pabbie in gratitude before setting off.

\---

"AAAAH!" Anna crushed down while shielding Elsa as much as possible from the Ice Dragon. Big sis, now would be an amazing time to wake up... She shut her eyes as she felt the ice dragon breath in...and breath out. WHOOOOOAAAAAM! She embraced her sister even harder as she expected to die here and now, when it never came. She looked up, to see Hans stand in front of her, blocking the immense amount of ice with his magic.

Hans trembled under the collosal weight he had to bear, and he shifted his feet, causing the earth to close arround his shoes to stop him from being blasted away. It helped only a little; The Ice dragon had an enormous amount of magic in reserve, while Hans had not. The prince closed his eyes in utter concentration while sweat began to drip from his face. Hans called his magic further on, going deeper then he had ever done before. The magic flew through him almost unlimited as he had set the gates wide open. Maybe, even too wide. The prince felt his body become overheated by the amount of power that surged through his veins. He knew he began to cross a line here. But if he stopped... Hans went on, although he knew it could mean his death if he went on like this. Come on, you stupid dragon! You can't keep this up forever like I do!

It seemed as if the prince's prayer was heard, because the dragon stopped. The earth arround his shoes that had kept him up, cracked and Hans fell like a rag doll on the ground, utterly exhausted by his task. They were safe...safe... The prince' vision swam before his eyes. Take that, you overgrown lizard!

"Hans, you did it!" cried Anna. "you-" The red-head gasped when she saw the Ice dragon breath in once more

The prince tried to use his magic again, but it only made his swimming vision and heated body even worse. The simple gesture of raising his hand caused him to slimp unconcious back on the ground while the dragon sperred his throat open, glowing a dark omnious blue...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foolish me thought I could wrap Gerda's transformation to the Snow Queen up in this chapter. I was wrong. I just began to write, and write...But, I really want to do Gerda's transition to the Snow Queen justice and take it slow. She has really grown on me as a character.
> 
> Next chapter, I'm going to focus my Attention on Kristoff, Emma and Gerda's fight scenes as well! They all deserve it!
> 
> Elsa has been quite knocked out for a long time.. I can not promise that she will re-appear in the next chapter, but you will get to see her fight!
> 
> I didn't want to make Hans TOO powerful and make him a Mary-Sue character. I don't want to fall into that trap, and I hope I have succeeded for you readers. 
> 
> Please review and comment!
> 
> Love, TeamArendelle.


	23. Into the Eye of the Storm (part 1)

Arendelle, 1819.

Ingrid slowly walked out of the sledge. As much as she wanted her memories back, to know who she was... She swallowed heavily. Perhaps Gran Pabbie was right. Perhaps she should let time decide whether or not she regained her memories... The black-haired baby girl danced before her eyes once again. She must somehow be the key to all of this, of how she came to be. Ingrid made up her mind. No, she had to know. Perhaps then, she would be gone from the nagging guilt inside her heart. The woman slowly went to the silent water before her. She had nothing to pour it into... A bubble lighted up in her head and she conjured up a goblet out of the snow before taking some cold mountain water out of the lake. As she let the stone fall slowly into her self-made goblet, the water began to slowly gain a purple color. It was as if the water took the color, no, the memories out of the little rock... The woman put the cup to her lips when she remembered the Troll's warning:

"Don't drink too quick, my dear. The memories will burn your head when they come back too fierce..."

So, the Snow Queen drank with very small sips from the purple water in the icy goblet."Ah!" she had to shut her eyes as a memory seemed to come back to her...

A young baby's face was red, with strong vines arround her neck. It made small choking sounds,which was already scary to witness with an adult... to see it happen to a child was much worse. With a wave of her hand, the vines disintegrated, but the baby didn't breathe, nor did it cry. She looked up to see a couple before her; the brownhaired woman took the girl away from her arms with tears in her eyes. a small crown was placed upon her head and both the man and woman had royal embroideries on...

"Idunn...i'm so sorry!"

"Get out!" barked the woman. "Get out, and never set foot here again!"

She fled the room, while people began to yell across the hall, and soon, across the courtyard:

"The princess is dead!"

"A witch cursed her!"

()

"Stay away from me! I'm a murderer, Kay! I killed a child... I need to get rid of this magic!"

"Then let me help you!" said the young man. hadn't she seen him before? 

"No! Kay, you have a family! You'll be branded a traitor for helping me!"

"You crossed an entire country to cleanse me from the Mirror shard!" yelled Kay while they rushed into the sledge. "I believe I have to return the favor yet!"

The Snow Queen gasped and opened her eyes once more... Now that explained already a lot... that's why she felt so guilty the whole time... She had killed a woman's child. Tears formed in her eyes. She had to undo this. But she needed to know the rest of her memories too... Just as she wanted to take another sip from the goblet, some terrifying cries made her look behind her. Soldiers came out of the bushes, attacking the ice harvesters, who were too suprised to do anything.

"Stop!" Ingrid waved her hands, and two soldiers flew away by the harsh wind she conjured. She didn't want to kill them, like she killed that innocent child...

"Witch!"

"Kill that devilish woman!" cried another soldier, clearly the leader of the group.

The Ice harvesters came out of their shocked state and began to fight back, but it was already too late: the numbers of the soldiers were too great. Ingrid waved her hand once more, to blast one of the archers against one of the rocks, causing the man to crack his skull upon impact. All the while, she still held the goblet close to her; With only one hand, there wasn't much she could do, she knew that. But she couldn't afford to loose her memories... "AAAAh!" Ingrid looked to her right to see a man run towards her. Her ice spike missed the running man, and Ingrid tried again. Again the man evaded her attack..He was too close now to do anything and she felt the ground vanish underneath her. The goblet! It fell from under her grasp and the stone fell out of the chalice into the lake. No! her memories!

"There is only one chance to regain them, my dear... Don't let it fall..." Ingrid turned her attention back on her attacker, and she took hold of the sharp edge of his knife, making her hands bleed in doing so. It didn't prevent the knife from going further and further down to her neck, as the man's strength was much more profound.

Suddenly the man screamed in pain and the Snow Queen blinked to see Hedon pull his knife out of the man's chest.

"You alright?" asked the bulky man worried as he helped Ingrid up again.

"Yes...yes I'm. Its just..." She killed those two soldiers... Again, blood stinged on her hands, adding another sin by the one's she already commited.

"Come on, we got you to get out of here, befo-" The man's sentence died on his lips and he fell lifeless on the ground with a huge arrow in his chest.

"No, Hedon!" Ingrid knelt by the man, desperately trying to stop the bleeding...even though she knew that it was already too late. She looked up again to see the archer who shot the man down, seeing him smirk at the sight. It was that sight, that made Ingrid snap. With a flick of her hand, she broke the man's neck before he even realized what was happening.

The Snow Queen looked arround her, seeing the Ice harvesters being shot or stabbed. She had the power to stop them all, to stop this bloodshed. And besides, what else had she left to do, now her memories were lost forever? The Snow Queen's eyes flashed dangerously to each of the soldiers and she raised her hands, causing all the soldiers to rise up in the air. Their faces turned red as she prevented them to breathe. The Snow Queen failed to notice the Duke was watching her from behind the rocks.

That woman was way too powerful to handle by simple sell swords... But he had seen, she hadn't drunk from her cup completely...

"AAAh!" Another soldier ran towards the woman, and the Duke knew he had to change tactics. "Rudolf, stand down, that's an order!" Rudolf didn't listen of course, as his mind was filled with vengeance for his friends. The duke ran to the man, and thrust his sword through the man's chest.

The duke locked eyes with the terrifying sorceress. Seeing how she didn't react by seeing him, he knew she didn't recognized him. Good...

"Who are you, stranger?" spoke ingrid cautiously by the man's appearance. "Are those your men who attacked me and the ice harvesters?"

"They are, my lady. But, It was only for your well-fare. Those men you were with, were not ice harvesters, but Robbers and thieves. They would have killed you..." lied the Duke.

"Is that so?" said Ingrid. She refocused her attention to one of the men she held up. "Is that true, soldier?" She losened her magical grip on him a bit to let the man talk.

"Yes, yes, my lady!" coughed the soldier. "We did as our Lord Duke told us to!"

"Funny" sneered Ingrid as soldier's face turned red again by her command. "I believe you attacked me as well, calling me a witch..." She refocused her blue eyes back on the duke. "What is your explaination for that, Lord Duke?"

"My lady..."

"You wil adress me as 'your majesty', Lord Duke"

That woman was testing him by seeing how he would react to such humilation. Very well, Gerda. Two can play the part.

"Your majesty. These men had strict orders not to harm you; Yet they dissobeyed them."

"mmmhhh..." Ingrid turned her cold eyes to the gasping men above her. "Then they deserve a proper punishment. What is the sentence for such disobedience, Lord Duke?"

"Death, your highness."

The Duke watched impassively as the Snow Queen snapped his man's necks. They were only pawns in his game...While Gerda was the Queen on his Chess board...

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The Savior rolled quickly out of the golem's arm reach, and blasted him on his shoulder, causing the arm to crack a little. The creature seemed only to be angered more by the Savior's attempt and growled angrily, quickly stromping towards the blonde woman. Right...which way..which way?! she was stuck in-between the golem and the wall... Alright frosty... again a blast came from the Savior's hands, hitting the golem into the same arm, to make it shatter completely.

"AAAARGG!" Emma saw stars for a moment when the creature smashed her with his other arm to the wall.

"No...you...WON'T!"

Suddenly the creature howled in pain, and Emma fell harshly on the ground as the creature let her go. As the Savior looked up again, she saw Kristoff's blonde hair showing lightly from behind the huge golem on the ground.

"Oy" yelled Kristoff after he had cut off one of the creature's legs. "I have cut worse cubes then you!" Thank god he had that pick in his hands when Gerda froze him and Anna over! Now he had at least something to defend himself with... The Ice harvester swung his axe again. Emma jumped in to help the Ice harvester too. While Kristoff began to cut the golem in pieces, Emma made them melt by her magic. It didn't sound as easy as it looked. The golem still twitched and turned, trying to get a hold on one of the two opponents, but they always managed to get out of his reach. It seemed at that moment they were about to win, when the Ice harvester was suddenly thrown away by the second golem. Kristoff groaned when he hit the Ice wall.

"Enough!" Arround the golem's body, hard, thick branches began to grow. The branches festered into the body going through the smallest cracks they could find. Soon, the pressure caused on the golem's body was too much, and the creature bursted into tiny ice pieces, revealing Hans behind it.

"I was wondering when you would help" said the Ice harvester as he tried to catch his breath again.

"Thought you and Emma could take all the glory, didn't you?" smirked Hans as he helped his cousin up. "Its zero- one."

"No, its not." frowned Kristoff. "I saved you from Gunnar, and from your brother. That's two against one."

Hans blinked suprised, as he still had not received his memories yet. "Really? Well, I ho-"

"BOYS!" the two cousins turned arround to see Emma, evading the golem's attacks.

It is not the right time for boosting your ego's!" yelled Emma as she ducked from the golem, that had managed to reform in the meantime. Emma ducked again from its fist, that created a hole in the wall instead.

As the two cousins went over, another scream came to the men's attention. As they looked arround, they saw Anna with Elsa's limp form in her arms, closed in between the wall and the gigantic Ice dragon.

"Anna!" Kristoff began to run back towards his fiancée, but the sturdy legs of his cousin were a lot quicker then his.

"Help Emma!" yelled Hans as he raced in-between the creature and his former fiancée. "I'll protect her!" Neither did realize they weren't thinking about the same sister...

Kristoff re-focused back on his task, trusting the prince in keeping Anna safe from harm and took his ice pick up once more.

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Ingrid waved her hand, making the Ice harvesters dissappear under a beautiful icy grave stone.

"Why do you bury them, Your grace?" asked the Duke as the Snow Queen began to conjure up four beautiful Snow Horses.

"They may have been robbers or thieves as you told me Duke, but they were kind to me. They deserve for that, my gratitude." with another gesture, a stunning sledge appeared behind the mares.

"But to give those men a gravestone! They were commoners, the lowest of the-" The Duke went silent when he saw the Snow Queen's burning gaze.

"I decide, not you, Lord Duke. I trust you less then I trusted these Ice harvesters. I'll give you your life, in return for saving me from that soldier. Treasure it, because it is the one and only I will bestow on you." The Snow Queen mounted her sledge.

"if I may ask freely one more time, your grace..." slimed the Duke, stopping the Snow Queen from taking off.

The Snow Queen sighed annoyed by the short man. "speak quickly then."

"May I ask where you are going?"

"I'm going to Arendelle, to repay an old debt."

The duke's mind reeled quickly. She must have remembered something about the feast then...

"Your highness...I would sincerely avoid that kingdom. The King and Queen..." The Duke stopped talking, and so, gained the Snow Queen's interest.

"What about them?" asked Ingrid, remembering the only memory she had seen from them. What knew the Duke of them?

"They are quite cold and harsh towards someone like you, your grace."

The Snow Queen's lips became a thin line. "I will keep your advice in thought, Lord Duke. I fare you well on your journey."

The Duke bowed and the Snow Queen's horses whinnied at their mistress' command, taking off into the sky. As the Snow Queen vanished from his sight, the Duke looked down to his hand, where a purple stone laid inside it. That stupid girl had failed to notice it on the Lake's bottom. He considered to smash it on the ground, but decided against it tucking the valuable stone into his pocket.

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Kristoff threw his axe with a mighty swing into the arm of the golem, that severed the limb. Emma sighed in relief when the arm fell off. If Kristoff hadn't severed it, it would have torn her open with his claws... Emma focused now on the golem's leg, severing a second limb from the creature in the process.

"WOAH!" Kristoff jumped out of the way, nearly crushing the ice harvester underneath the huge weight of the golem; "Watch it!"

"Sorry!" cried Emma as she climbed up the gigantic creature, to get a good spot on his neck. "Think you can sever his head?!"

"It is too thick to do so!" said Kristoff as he severed the second leg of the golem. "Get away, before it regains his arms again!"

"No! I can melt it!" cried Emma as she set her hands ablaze, making them as hot as possible, before blasting it on the golems neck. It was like a knife cutting through butter... As Emma continued on, Kristoff ran arround the golem's body, severing the re-growing limbs each time they appeared. "Its working! WOAh!" Emma got knocked of the creatures chest by his regrowing arm.

Kristoff' face was sweaty from running arround. He couldn't keep up with the rapid regeneration. There had to be another way! He looked to the golem more in detail again, to every crack it possessed. Come on... where was the weak spot? In his years of ice harvesting, Kristoff had learned to search for that. "The break point" as the Ice harvester called it, was a place in the ice where it was at it most vulnerable. if you could find it, the Ice cube would break completely in tiny pieces. It was a handy trick for them to spare more time out with cutting the ice...THERE!

The ice harvester swung his axe into the golem's chest, causing the creature's body to crack. "Emma! focus your magic on the axe!"

Emma obliged. As the woman's magic struck the weak pont, the cracks in the golem's body began to glow and widen. With a huge CRACK, the golem shattered into tiny pieces.

Both the Savior and the Ice harvester sighed exhausted by the fight.

"Hans, you did it!" Kristoff turned his attention to his lovely fiancée. "You di-" The Ice harvester saw how Hans fell unconcious on the ground, while the Ice dragon marched forward.

"Leave them alone!" yelled Anna as she threw a snowball skillfully into the dragon's eye. It only seemed to anger the dragon further, and he sperred his mouth open, ready to freeze the three in ice.

The Ice harvester reached into the dragon's mind, crushing its will underneath his. He hated to do this to the creature, but it was to protect his family...

The dragon coughed, as he stopped his icy breath from freezing Hans and the sisters over.

Anna looked confused to the scene before her. Why did the dragon hesitate? She looked arround to see her fiancé with glowing white eyes. 'I got a few tricks on my own...' So, THAT's what he could do... Kristoff's eyes returned back to his normal hazel colour, and the red-haired princess blinked in utter awe.

"You alright, feisty pants?" asked the blonde man worried to the princess when he took her in a hug.

"Yeah... yeah, I am" said the princess as she still was processing what she just saw. He could control animals... as they parted from their hug, Emma came by as well.

"Emma isn't it?" asked Anna to be certain while she helped the woman to sit down. "you're okay?"

"Yeah" smiled the savior exhausted. "Just doing my job that's all..."

"Hans!" When Kristoff said the man's name, Anna remembered again the unconcious fallen prince next to her. As Kristoff began to shake the man's shoulder softly, the prince moaned.

"Hans, wake up!" Anna, Kristoff and Emma gasped when they saw the prince open his eyes; they were glowing speckled with green and black. "Hans!" The prince gasped, and the scary eyes dissappeared, returning back to his normal apple-green.

"Elsa!" Hans tried to sit up, but immediately had to lay down again by the sudden dizziness that came over him.

"She's alright..." said Kristoff as he held the prince down. "She and Anna are both alright."

The prince' ragged breath seemed to calm down by his cousin's words. "Good...good"

"What the hell were you thinking?" growled Kristoff. He wasn't angry at him; it was the mix of fear and relief, that made him lash out to the prince. "Foolish bastard! You could died, using that much magic! And then you are lecturing ME for helping you out with the Southern invasion?" Tears came over the man's face, as he almost thought he had lost his family all over again.

Hans smiled weakly to his cousin. "its two-two. I believe we're even now..."

"Guys?" Emma looked arround her, to see another legion of ice golems come their way. "We have another set of snowmen to deal with."

"No problem." said Kristoff grimly. At his command, the ice dragon roared over the golems, causing them to shatter as the Ice breath washed over them. "He will buy us some time..."

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Arendelle, 1819.

The Snow Queen's lips were a thin line as she directed her horses to the North Mountain. For a moment, heart was at peace when she heard the child breath again... Untill that mother called her a child of Devil. How dared she to speak to her that way when she had just saved their child! The duke was right. They saw her indeed only as a monster... If only she had never gone to the castle! Now the whole Kingdom of Arendelle was searching for her. She gritted her teeth. This was all because of that little princess Elsa. Spikes began to appear on the reins she held, and her Snow Horses yelped in pain. The Mistress of Ice and Snow felt guilty for the pain she caused her Horses because of her anger. Her fingers flexed and, while still holding her reins, the mares' wounds healed. The Horses whinnied in gratitude to their Mistress, who seemed to smile wholeheartedly for the first time in her new life.

Horses don't judge you... Horses are better then people... The Snow Queen looked up to the giant moon on her left. Moon, don't you think that's right?

The Moon didn't answer and stayed silent as ever.

Yeah, people will beat you, and curse you, and cheat you... Everyone of them is bad, except you... The Snow Queen smiled to the gigantic light boll into the sky, surrounded by the Aurora Borealis.

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King Agdarr tried desperately to calm down his sobbing wife. "My love, calm down... We will find a solution for this..."

"How?" sobbed Idunn as she looked to her cursed daughter. "Oh, Agdarr, this is all my fault!"

The two royals looked up as the group Ice Harvesters entered. Their walk was gruff and uncivilized. They didn't even bow to the royal couple, but the King and Queen knew these proud Sami people never cared much for protocol. Besides, now was not the time to ask such stupid demands, when they were the one's who needed their favor so desperately.

"I thank you for coming at such late hour" spoke Agdarr soft but clear to the Sami people as he stepped down from the high throne. The Sami looked slightly suprised at the King of Arendelle, to speak from the same level as theirs. This had never happened before...

"Me and my wife have a favor to ask of you...Not one, but two, actually" said Agdarr nervously. O and how nervous he was! He might be King, yes but now, he spoke as a father for the sake of his daughter. At the gesture of the King, a maid came forward with a blonde baby-boy in her arms.

"First, I want you to take this child, Kristoff with you. I believe his parents are known to you, Kay Andersen and Sigunn Bjorgmann?"

The Sami people nodded, and the eldest spoke.

"They are, King of Arendelle. This is not a favor you ask of us; We will do this out of free will. Its the least we can do for our lost friends." One of the Ice Harvesters took the baby out of the maid' arms. The maid stiffened when the Ice harvester touched her arms slightly and she quickly dissappeared again in the shadows. Agdarr didn't fail to notice how the maid began to rubb her hands at her clothing..That maid was repulsed to touch the Sami! He'll have to deal with that maid later...

"Then, the favor I ask of you is this..." coughed Agdarr, and he beckoned his wife to come near him. "My daughter...She has been cursed by some kind of Ice Witch... We want to get rid this magic. I heard you knew wise, powerful people who know much about this kind of situations... I ask, no I beg of you..."

To everyone's astonishment, the King knelt in front of the Sami, as did the Queen. "Show me where I can find them, so they can heal my daughter."

The Sami people were just as astonished by the sight before them as everyone else in the room.

"We will do this for you, King of Arendelle, for the sincerity of your words, and the displayed humility you showed us." spoke the eldest again.

"Thank you..." whispered the young father as he stood up again. "I will never be able to repay this."

"You don't have to pay US, King of Arendelle" spoke the Ice harvester softly. "Magic itself has a price of his own..."

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Gerda snarled as she waved her hands downwards, causing the ice spikes on the ceiling to fall with blinding speed towards the Duke. The Duke didn't even sweat as he stopped them from impaling him. With another flick of his hand, the spikes turned towards the Snow Queen, who succeeded to stop them only millimeters from her head before disintegrating them.

"Give up already Gerda!" laughed the Duke as Gerda waved her hand. Huge ice speares raced quickly towards the short man, who simply made them shatter. They didn't even manage to make a scratch...

"Never!" The two ice wielders circled arround, while they defended or attacked each other in a deadly dance of Ice and Snow. Gerda knew the Duke become stronger, the longer they fought. She knew she had to use her wits, instead of brute strength... an idea popped into her head, and when she saw the duke place his left leg, she moved quickly.

"AAAAH!" The duke's legs suddenly were sucked into a large splitted chasm that Gerda had created. Just when Gerda was about to drive a spear trough the man's body, the Duke slammed his staff on the ground, causing spikes to appear arround the Snow Queen; they were high, and sharp. Some of them even had cut into her skin, causing the white ice to color red. Gerda took a deep breath and when she exhaled, a strong wind made the ice spikes arround her shatter everywhere arround the room. The Duke had already freed himself from the chasm Gerda had so smartly placed and jumped up in the air, with the intention to threw his sharp staff into Gerda's body. The Snow Queen simply waited until the Duke had almost reached her and simply walked out of the man's reach. Before the Duke could do anything to change his course, Gerda commanded the northern winds, to propell the Duke even harder into the ice wall he was about to smash into.

CRASH! the shock was so loud, it would make any human cringe: Yet, the Duke didn't appear to have broken bones as everyone should expect to have after such a harsh fall. He was however fazed and disoriented, and Gerda used the opportunity. With a gesture of her fingers, she commanded the Northern Winds to fly the Duke straight into her stretched hand. The man gasped as the Snow Queen took hold of his neck. When the man wanted to use his magic, the Snow Queen ceased his hands to the ground with strong icy shackles. She raised her other hand, that began to glow and crack with her magic. Just as Gerda was about to strike the Duke down, she saw from the ends of her pheriphical vision how her son slumped to the ground.

"Hans..." Like any mother, she looked worriedly for her son. The Duke used Gerda's distraction and with a roar, he broke her shackles, blasting the already weakened Snow Queen away. the nearly unconcious woman forced her body to push itself up to see the Duke approach her.

"You can't impossibly win, Gerda!' roared the Duke maniacally as he raised another army to attack the Savior and the little group. "I have your magic...I have an unlimited army, and soon, I wil have the whole world in eternal frost! no-AAAh!" The Duke fell flat on his face, caused by the air distortion as the Ice dragon flew by. The strong winds also let the Mirror of Reason tremble and the Duke screamed.

"No! get away, you stupid beast! get away from my Mirror! Get those stupid heroes!"

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"Did you hear that?" said Emma as she heard the Duke scream. "That Mirror still seems important to him..."

"Of course..." realized Kristoff as he too looked to the Duke and Gerda. "He is still connected to it!" The Ice harvester used his axe to dismember a leg from one of the golems.

"So, -huff-huff-" breathed Anna heavily as she swung her sword to cut off the other leg of the golem she and Kristoff where working on. "That means...huff-huff...If we can get to the Mirror..."

"We get to destroy the Duke!" finished Hans Anna's train of thought. The prince' blasted the golem to pieces.

"Watch out!" The savior used her magic to disintegrate another golem's arm, that was on his way to snatch the prince. If she hadn't done that, Hans might have been cut open by those sharp icy claws!

"Thanks!" The four stood back to back now, while still staying close to the unconcious queen of Arendelle. They may have an Ice dragon on their side, but even with such a phenomimal creature, the ice army of the Duke was too great in numbers to win with the creature alone...

"So, what's the plan?" yelled Anna as they fought on.

Hans thought deeply as his trategic mind began to reel again. "Anna! You try...huff-huff... to get to that Mirror!"

"What? why me?" asked the red-haired girl confused, trying to keep her breath stable.

"'cause you'll never be expected by the Duke!" yelled Hans as he changed the earth arround one of the golems into drift sand. He still was tired by the amount of magic he had to use, but he now began to learn how he could use his magic with some simple tricks, without exhausting his body to the extreme.

"What about me?" breathed Kristoff heavily as he ducked from a large claw, to plant immediately after his axe into the creature's leg.

"Stay with Elsa! You have to keep her safe."

"No, I'm coming with An-"

"Kristoff, you can't watch Anna's safety, keep that Dragon in check,...huff-huff..AND keep an eye out for the Duke!" yelled Hans as he raised his hands, causing an earth colom to smash into one of the golems chin's, The creature fell backwards into his buddy's like domino stones. "I'll cover Anna, to get over there...huff-huff... Emma! create a distraction for the Duke, and try keep him as far away from the Mirror!"

"Aye, aye, captain!"

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She heard all kind of noises, it was hard to place them all.

"Its okay Elsa I got you..."

Was that Anna? it had to be...

She heard her sibling scream, but she was powerless to do anything. Her eyes didn't want to open, her arms didnt want to move...She felt a cold wind brush her cheek and flow through her hair, and she felt a little bit stronger now.

"Hans, you did it! You-" she heard her sister's voice stock, as her head lay by her chest. what was it, Anna? what happened... a sudden hard crash was close to her. Was...was that Hans?

"Leave them alone!" she heard her sister cry. She tried again to wake up, force her body to react, to do anything at all, but it stayed limp and disobidient as ever.

"Hans! Hans, wake up!" it was Kristoff this time... he was alright too... But what about Hans? why didn't they say anything?

"Elsa!" Relief came over her when she heard his voice, and she had to smile when he said her name.

"She's alright, they are alright..." shushed Kristoff. No, she wasn't! she couldn't move or do anything! come on, let me wake up!

They began to talk again, but suddenly she couldn't hear anymore what they said, like she was hearing them from behind thick solid glass...

She pushed against tha darkness that seemed to come closer and wrap his tentacles arround her body. You won't take me! they were slimy and sticky and so o hard to break lose from... You won't have me! so tired...her body felt so tired... She screamed and with a last push she broke free of his grip. The darkness dissappeared and she blinked by the sudden light arround her. She was back...

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm crazy. Seriously, I have written this chapter in only one day... I had an amazing time writing the flashback scenes between Gerda and the Duke. He is quite the manipulator isn't he? Hans certainly can learn from him...
> 
> Good Lord, I'm terrible at writing fight scenes. They look so damn amazing when i have it in my mind, but when I write it down... ugh. I'm still not satisfied by it. 
> 
> But jeeey! Elsa has finally woken up again! The fight isn't over yet, that's for sure...
> 
> Please Review and Comment!
> 
> Love,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	24. Into the Eye of the Storm (part 2)

Arendelle, 1819.

It was already dawn when the King and Queen arrived in the Valley of the living rocks. The Queen carefully dismounted her horse, as she held her sleeping daughter in one arm. It worried her a lot; Elsa hadn't cried since that witch cursed her. She was luckily still breathing.

"Hallo?!" the nervous King looked arround before looking back on the parchment the Ice harvesters had given them. It should be here, without doubt.

"Hallo? Please! It is for my daughter, something quite terrible has befallen upon her!"

The rocks began to move towards him and his little family, and Agdarr's hand went for his sword. After all what had transpired this night, he had become quite fearful for his family. He quickly put his arms arround his wife protectively while he held the sword before him.

"There is no need to draw your weapon, Your Highness" said Gran Pabbie as he gestured the other trolls to shuffle backwards. "There will come no harm to your family, if you don't harm mine."

Agdarr slowly put his sword back into his sheath, amazed by the mystical rock creature. "Forgive me for appearing so threatening. It was not my intention to anger you or your folk."

Gran Pabbie nodded, accepting the man's apology. "Why have you come?"

The Queen knelt by her husband and showed her sleeping daughter to the ancient Troll. "Last night, a witch appeared in my room...It looked like she wanted to take my daughter away, just when I woke up. When I yelled at her, she cursed her with her magic. Can you take it away?"

Gran Pabbie stiffened when he saw the same blonde hair that he had seen by Ingrid. Like all magic, it was unique for every wielder, like a fingerprint on a glass. But to be sure...

The Troll waved his hand across the young baby-girl and sighed heavily. "I'm terribly sorry, my dear. But I'm afraid I can't perform what you ask of me. In fact, I don't know anyone who could do such a thing...Magic is tricky and dangerous. To try to take away someone's magic, even from a cursed one..." The Troll King shook his head gravely. "I'm afraid that, even if it was possible, it would do more damage then it would mend." The old troll sighed with a heavy heart; and wondered about what happened to Ingrid. He almost asked the couple; but refrained from it. It would only cause more questions and distrust towards him and his people...

The royal couple sighed discouraged at the Trolls words. The Troll saw how affected the King and Queen were by the news, and so, he waved his hands, to conjure up two beautiful blue gloves.

"I can however, give you these gloves. They will keep the magic inside, as long as she herself believes in it."

"We can't do that to her!" said the shocked King as he stared at the gloves. "She would see herself as a freak!"

"We'll take it" spoke the Queen with tears in her eyes as she took the gloves with her left hand.

"Idunn!"

"Agdarr, please" Tears dripped from the young woman's face. "I hate this as much as you. But if it is to protect her from the kingdom...or even, herself, then I'm willing to make that sacrifice."

"The sacrifice SHE has to make" barked Agdarr at his wife, causing their child to stirr at the loud sounds.

"Look..." shushed Idunn as she put her head on her husbands shoulder. "She doesn't have to wear it all the time..."

The King sighed heavily and looked again to the Troll King. "Thank you for your effort, Troll. We won't forget this."

"It is Gran Pabbie." smiled the troll to the King, who looked suprised to the little creature. For a troll, knew the King, to give someone their name, was considered as huge amount of Trust.

"Agdarr" smiled the King as he bowed once again before retraiting to their horses. "I pray we don't need to meet again."

The wise Troll King looked sadly to the young couple. Glimpses of the future were often given to him. It was both a gift and a curse, as it was for Little Elsa. Pain and grief was arround those two bright people, following them through the course of their lives... They would meet again. "I hope for the same, King Agdarr."

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"Duck!" Anna felt the large hand of the prince on her back and she did as she was told. the large arm of the golem nearly cleaving her head off.

The two royals sprinted quickly between the creatures legs or arms, to get to the other side, but a fight couldn't always be avoided. Hans swung his sword into creature on their left, causing it to shatter. The sword the prince carried, consisted of thornes and vines, and created by the man himself. He didn't want to use his magic as he had done before. There were many reasons why he didn't use his potentials now to the fullest. First was Anna. The prince feared she would get hit by him accidently when they were too cramped up. He didn't have such a great aim and precision as Elsa or Gerda had already acchieved. Second reason was for the Duke; If he noticed his magic, he would quickly see where they were headed. And that would blow their plan. So, the prince was left with his sword skills.

"Hans, watch out!" The prince turned arround, and rolled quickly out of the other's creature's reach.

"You shouldn't be watching me!" called Hans out as he saw that the girl had turned back towards him. "Focus just on getting to the Mirror, I'll cover you."

"I won't let you fight them alone!" said Anna stubornly.

"Anna, the longer we wait, the stronger the Duke and his army becomes" said Hans as he raised his hand to blast one of the golem's arms off.

"Woah!" Anna cried out in fear, and Hans saw a gigantic fist come their way, ready to crush them. He quickly waved his hand above his head, like a scholar would do when he crawled into the water. A strong roof, made out of earth blocked the fist just in time, and the prince gritted his teeth to keep the construction up.

"Anna! I cant use my magic, I'm afraid I might hurt you when you're too close... Just get to the Mirror, and don't look back, whatever happens to me or Kristoff!"

"But-"

"Go!" snarled Hans as he crashed his fist into the self-made roof, causing it to fly into the golem's face. He glanced backwards, to see Anna run and fight herself towards the Mirror. Good...She was progressing. The auburn haired man turned arround to face the creatures that had noticed the duo. "Right..." the prince swirled his thorned sword one more time in his hand, to feel and calculate the weight his weapon had. "Let's see how strong ice truly is."

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Arendelle, 1823. (4 years after Gerda's death.)

"Agdarr...What are you doing, Love?" asked the Queen to her husband as she still saw him looking into the library books at this late hour.

The tired man sighed. "I'm searching for something that will enable me to take on that witch."

"Agdarr, no! I thought we had dropped this subject! Why going after that devil's spawn?!"

"Do you have a better solution?" asked Agdarr while he stood angrily up from his table to take some other sea maps with him.

"Agdarr...Elsa seems happy with powers. You saw her today, playing with her dolls...And there doesn't seem to be any danger..."

Agdarr scoffed at his wife. "Yet that witch still wanders free, Idunn! What if she decided that it wasn't enough suffering for us? What if she came back, to bewitch our second child too?" He looked at the again pregnant belly of his wife. "I don't want the same thing happen all over again with him."

"Or her" corrected Idunn as she put her hands across her belly. Agdarr waved his hands impatiently.

"Or her. " said the King now softer as he gently rubbed his hand across her belly. "I'm doing this for you, Elsa, and this little kicker over here..." smiled the King to his unborn second child.

"Agdarr, I don't want to loose you!"

"And then what?" said the King as the tension between them began to rise up once again. "Unless you have better suggestions, I like to hear them!"

"I'm giving you suggestions" snapped the Queen angrily. "Stay. With me and Elsa. Let the past in the past, Agdarr."

"Do you even care about Elsa? It seems not to be the case" bit her husband back. "At least I try to do something about this situation! Seems you have already your new favorite!" and the King pointed to the pregnant belly of his wife.

"How dare you!" fumed Idunn at her husbands insults. "I don't pick a 'favorite', Agdarr! I'm thinking about our future together!"

"A future with a second cursed child?"

"I'm thinking about a future with my husband!" shrieked Idunn to the man. "I won't let you go alone!"

"You stay here!" barked Agdarr back. "That's an order!"

"I'm still your Queen, so you bet-"

"Mommy?" The couple turned arround to see their daughter with wide eyes standing into the doorway. "Is...is everything okay?"

Agdarr was the first to react and he took the child up, his dispute with Idunn forgotten. for now.

"Elsa? How are you still awake?" asked her father while avoiding his wife's eyes.

"I didn't have my goodnight kiss..." said the child, with her mind still occupied by the fight her parents had before. It seemed so stupid to ask for something like that... "Daddy?" asked Elsa with tears in her eyes. "Why were you two yelling? Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, little angel..." Agdarr placed a kiss on his daughter's wet cheek. "No, we weren't mad at you..." His breath came in short gasps, as he was on the brink of crying. "Mommy and I had a little dispute, thats all..."

"What's a..dishphutey?" asked 4 year old Elsa as she struggled with the word. Agdarr chuckled softly.

"Dis-pute." said the father clearly. "Its when two people don't agree with each other and they fight about who's right."

"Why?"

Why indeed...Agdarr glanced to his wife. "I don't now, Angel. But they do it, because they really, really love-" His voice cracked up now. God, give me strength! He coughed. "Because they really love each other, thats why."

"Oh..."mumbled the small child and she yawned against her father's strong chest.

"Come on angel...Let's get you to bed."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elsa groaned, as her ears peeped an annoying sound. "God..." She blinked again, to see her surroundings better. Or rather what she could make out of it. It was utter chaos before her: golems were stamping everywhere, causing light snow to fly up everywhere they set their giant feet.

"Anna?" yelled Elsa hoarshly as she stood up again. She doubled over when she felt a sharp pain in her stomach, as her wound began to scream in protest. She still wasn't fully recovered yet. Too many brisk moves, and the stitches wouldn't hold...

"ANNA!" she tried again, at a much slower pace to stand up. step by step... she braced herself, but it seemed it wasn't bothering her wound now...good. The Queen shuffled forward, often wincing at the sharp pain in her chest by the too sudden moves, searching for the limits she could reach.

"Elsa?" it was her brother-in-law who was plunging his axe in one of the golem's arms. "What are you doing here? You should rest!"

"I have rested long enough" commented the Ice queen as she destroyed the golem Kristoff was dealing with. "Where is Anna? What happened to Hans?"

"They are trying to get to that Mirror to destroy the Duke!" said Kristoff as they stood back to back.

"Wait what? the Duke of Weaselton?" asked Elsa unbelievingly as she gestured her hands. A huge chasm appeared, making two golems sink into the ground. the Queen flicked her hands again, and the golems were crushed to pieces as the chasm closed once more.

"No time to explain!" said Kristoff as he pressed her against his chest, to avoid being hit by one of the golem's hammers.

"We got to help them!" said Elsa as she tried to run back. She was stopped again by the strong arms of the Ice harvester.

"Emma is already helping them. You must stay put. You would have died if Hans didn't heal you..."

"What about you? You aren't helping!"

"I'm supposed to watch over you!"

"Well..." smirked the Queen as she skillfully went out of the Ice harvester's grasp. "Then I suppose you are to watch me when I go to help them."

"Wha-" Kristoff groaned as he was set check mate by the Queen's clever words. "Elsa wait!" He ran behind the Queen to the eye of the heated battle.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the end, Idunn admitted defeat to her husband, who went now alone to Misthaven. The voyage, especially with the Queen so close at the end of her second pregnancy, would be very dangerous for her.

"Hallo?" The Young King walked into the beautiful decorated room. "Rumplestiltskin, are you here?"

"There is no need to shout, King of Arendelle." The King swirled arround, to see the famous sorcerer stand where he wasn't before.

"I come for-"

"I know why you came here, King Agdarr. You want something to take on the Snow Queen..." giggled the dark one.

"Yes." said the King while hiding his shock. How powerful must that man be if he could just take out his name and desire out of his thoughts? "I can pay you. Gold, diamonds..."

The dark one giggled even louder. "Maybe you are a bit slow, dearie... but it isn't riches what I desire."

"Then what would you possibly want in return?" asked Agdarr.

"mmmm...that ring on your left finger."

Agdarr frowned but then looked downwards to his left finger. He had worn it for so long, he had almost forgotten it was still there. "Why would you want such an ordinary ring? It is just an old gift from a peasant girl.." it was made out of wood, with beautiful, detailed roses on it.

"Sometimes, ordinary objects can possess powerful magic." said Rumple as the King fiddled uncomfortably with the ring.

"if it is to protect her from the kingdom...or even, herself, then I'm willing to make that sacrifice." 

The King sighed when he remembered his wife's words and thought again of his child. He couldn't even be debating this... It was just a token, a wedding gift from Gerda. if he had to weight that little thing against his child's happiness...

"Done." THe King quickly gave his ring, before he could rethink or come back from it. "Now, keep your end of the bargain. Give me something that enables me to take on the Snow Queen."

The King watched as Rumple took out a little strange, copper looking object. "This..." said the Dark one mysteriously. "Can strip her powers away. Once you lift up the lid...FLUP!" the King winced at the man's sudden cry. "In she pops."

"Thank you." Agdarr put the object carefully away in his sack and bowed politely. "Thank you for your help."

"O it was nothing my dear..." cackled the dark one. "See you soon..."

Agdarr felt a chill over his spine and walked a little faster, to get as quickly as possible away from this strange, dark place.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Regina?" The Evil Queen groaned as her head felt like it had been split open.

"Regina, can you hear me?" asked Robin as he gently shook her shoulder.

"Yes..." Regina slowly opened her eyes to get them accomodated to the light.

"Careful!" Robin immediately supported the Queen's arm when she winced from the sharp pain in her stomach.

"What...Have we won?" asked Regina as she looked arround. She saw Doctor Whale and Ruby attend to the wounded. Ruby's wolf skills came quite handy in this; she could often smell if the wound was superficial or dangerously infective. Others, the ones who were still able to walk, dragged unconcious people into the hastily made up hospital.

"Where is Henry?" asked Regina as she looked for her adopted son. "What about Emma and the others?"

"Henry is safe, don't worry." shushed Robin. "But I'm afraid Emma along with Hans and Elsa are still in there..."

"And everyone is just waiting here outside till they lose?" asked the black haired woman angrily. "They don't stand a chance against that Snow Queen!"

Of course...realized Robin. she had been unconcious the whole time... The prince of thieves quickly explained what happened while Regina was knocked out.

"Still, that doesn't change anything." said Regina as she walked to the closed off entrance. "I won't let Miss swann die for Henry's sake!" But, the woman couldn't deny in the deepest corners of her heart that she was touched by Miss Swann's faith. That she tried to understand her, stood by her even when she could have walked away all those times... She still came back. always. Now, She had to return that faith..

The black-haired woman set her hands ablaze again, and with Robin keeping her still unstable body up, she began to melt the gigantic ice barrier.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arendelle, 1823.

The Ardellians sheered as the battle at the Ice palace was finally over. As the King passed by his soldiers, giving them clasps on the shoulder for their courage, he glanced at the little urn he held under his arm, in which the Snow Queen was now captured.

He should be happy for the newfound safety of his family and Kingdom... Then why did he felt these voices inside his head, screaming how wrong this was? The Young King could still hear her sharp voice ring in his head:

"Good evening gentlemen. What are you doing on my mountain?"

"I have come to reclaim this land back to its people, witch!" had he yelled back. "You will suffer for the pain you caused me and my family!"

"This is all to blame on you, King of nothing." said the sorceress coldly. "You think you are the only one who suffered Loss and pain? I did you and your wife a favor by saving your child. As a token of gratitude, you hunt me down. Leave before I lose my patience."

He hadn't listened further to those lies...Or were they? She hadn't attacked them as they went up the North Mountain; she could have ambushed them on so many occasions. Maybe she wanted to avoid a fight...He shook his head. This was just Devil's talk, tempting him to release her in a moment of pity.

"Your highness!" called one of his captains. "There seems to be a strange, incompleted Mirror in the witch's room! What should we do with it?"

Agdarr hesitated. There had to be a reason as for why that Snow Queen held such a strange Mirror with her. An old Northern Legend came back to his mind. No. It can't be that such terrifying legend could possibly... The King shuddered inwardly. That thing is way too dangerous to be left alone. But they couldn't take it with them either. After a long pause, the King gave his command.

"Smash it into tiny pieces. But be careful, and don't let it penitrate your eyes or heart. Is that clear, Captain?"

"Yes, your highness..." The captain hesitated, as he too knew the legends. "Sire, You don't possibly think..."

"What I think is none of your concern" blaffed Agdarr to the soldier, who hastily obliged. He normally wasn't so bold against his subjects; but he didn't want the soldier to speak his own fears out loud. And so, the shards flew again arround on the winds, piercing once again the People's hearts.

When they came home, the King put the urn behind lock and key, to be forgotten by time itself. But Destiny had other plans...

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rumple, what are you doing here?" asked Belle as she saw her husband enter. "Everyone is to the Snow Queen's liar, to battle those vicious mirror versions."

"I couldn't leave you" said the Dark one as he hugged her. The hat was already safely stowed away. Now, the only thing that he needed to do was to put Belle to sleep, and then they could leave with Henry...

"That's very sweet of you." said Belle while they parted. "But I'm safe don't worry."

"I'm afraid not. You see, those versions already made it here, in the town itself" And that was for once, no lie to make her cooperate, but a solid truth. "Hook just saw his evil version show up close to us. I managed to destroy it...but I fear there might be more on their way, and I can't defeat such great numbers."

"So...what now?" asked Belle fearfully as she followed Gold to the backside of their shop.

"I'm going to put you to sleep, for the time-being, and lock you up with a protection spell." said Rumple as they stood by an old seat.

"Why put me to sleep?" asked Belle curiously. "Surely the protection spell will be enough?"

"Those twisted versions are linked by the life-force of their twins. If you're asleep, they won't find you that easily." lied Rumple smoothly.

Belle nodded, completely trusting her husband in what he was doing, and laid down on the couch. As Rumple waved his hand over her head, her eyes dropped slowly and her breathing went slower.

"Wait...Still don't understand...why..." murmeled Belle, as the sleep began to weight on her eyes. "Why you aren't..." she yawned as the effects began to take more hold on her. "with others...to save Henry."

"Save Henry?" asked Gold suprised by the revelation. "Belle, what do you mean? Henry is alright..."

"No..." slurred Belle. "taken...by the Snow Queen..."

The shock was quickly replaced by anger. Luckily, Belle was already asleep as the dark one talked out loud, cursing himself that he let his grandson get captured by the Snow Queen. That woman will pay for this! He clutched his fingers so hard arround the hat in his pocket, his knuckles became white. Seems I have another embroiderie to decorate my hat with...

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arendelle, 1839 (Second day in the Big Freeze)

The Duke of Weaselton shivered as he entered another room, to search for warm blankets or wood to burn in the halls. The cold had become so severe these last days, nobility and commoner alike was now desperately searching for whatever food or warmth there was to gain. He frowned upon the room he had entered. This hadn't been cleaned for a long time, as spider webs and dust had spread a thick layer on the furniture. This must be the chamber from the late King and Queen of Arendelle, no doubt...

As he searched in the closets, clapping his hands against the wood (since the light candles were scarce), he stiffened when his hand made a completely different sound. Like the part behind it, was a hole... The Duke searched for the secret lock to activate the opening, and after searching for some good 5 minutes, it opened with a 'click'.

Now what was this? The Duke looked intrigued to the little copper urn. Why would such a strange object be hidden in the Royal chambers? Must be of great value... The man took of the lit, and looked in awe to the white liquid that streamed out of it. His astonishment quickly changed to glee when he saw the liquid transform into Gerda herself. Well, well, well... fate was truly favoring him.

"Lord Duke?" blinked the Snow Queen suprised as she took in her surroundings. "It seems I owe you again my thanks."

"Your majesty." bowed the Duke as he hid his hate and anger towards the Wardeness of the North.

"Time hasn't been kind to you." spoke the observant Snow Queen as she noticed the age on the man's face. "Tell me, how many years have passed since our last meeting?"

"Twenty, your grace."

"The Snow Queen frowned. Then that meant...Elsa had already grown up. Curse that King and Queen into damnation! Now she would have a much more difficult task on killing her...

"Your Highness...The Queen has cursed this land into an eternal Winter and lost all control." spoke the Duke as he waved towards the window, where the wind howled against the curtains.

"Really?" said the Snow Queen impressed as she took in the frozen Kingdom. She must have become more powerful then she ever thought she would be. But, it seems our little Elsa hadn't learned to control her emotions... The Snow Queen's bloodless lips curled up. She could use that... With a wave of her hand, the Snow Queen's carriage appeared, along with her four faithful Snow Horses. As She mounted her sledge, she beckoned the Duke to sit next to her as well.

"Where are we going, your majesty?" asked the Duke. He immediately averted his eyes when the Snow Queen's piercing eyes stared him down.

"Great is the reward for those who are patient." said the Snow Queen as she focused on stirring her Horses. "It seems you still have to obtain that virtue." The carriage flew off at blinding speed, towards the North Mountain...

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And...yes, finally we get to see Regina and Rumple back! wohooo! Everything begins to come together so rapidly. The Storybrooke Inhabitants are coming to the rescue as well! o yeah!
> 
> As for Agdarr and Idunn, It looks like I made them black sheep... But what I wanted to show you was that they are afraid and unsure of what to do. Not to mention the guilt they blame upon themselves for getting their daughter cursed. They truly love Elsa, and they try hard to make things better again for their little girl...
> 
> Damn, now I'm cutting onions again...
> 
> Love, 
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	25. Evigheden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for some tissues, 'cause this chapter will be a rollercoaster of emotions. The puzzle pieces are falling into place at last, like the word Kai had to form: Evigheden...

Arendelle, 1839.

The Snow Queen's sledge spurred on with blinding speed, and for the Duke, who had begun to actually enjoy it, it was over way too soon. He wanted to open his mouth to ask where they were, when he remembered to stay silent. The Duke's face became a sneer. That girl had even power over him... He had to do something about it.

"Troll!" yelled the Snow Queen as she approached the rock trolls. "Show yourself!"

The trolls came forward as they heard their Mistress' command. These weren't the friendly trolls Anna and Kristoff encountered; o no, they were far from friendly. And one of the reasons why trolls had been given such bad reputation, for they only sought to bring chaos.

"I hope you kept it safe all these years." spoke the Snow Queen icily to one of the grinning creatures.

"Yes, yes, your highness..." cackled the little creature. "We did..." The wicked troll pointed with his bony hand, and the fractured Mirror of Reason appeared, abeit heavily damaged. "We succeeded in collecting all the pieces, Mistress..."

The Snow Queen frowned as she looked upon her Mirror. "Troll, why haven't you mend the Mirror yet?"

"Yes, well...uhm..." stuttered the creature. "You see Mistress, this is dark magic. If we should lay our hands upon it to mend the pieces back together, it would cost us our life. And our lives were meant to guard this precious Mirror of your Grace..."

The Snow Queen raised her hand, to stop the creature from sliming. "Well, it appears you have indeed done your job well."

"Will you...will you do as you are promised, Mistress?" asked another troll. "Will you give us revenge on Gran Pabbie and his stupid human-loving clan?"

"I will, my dear." spoke The Snow Queen as she moved her hand. At her command, the Mirror re-appeared into her sledge, along with the still broken pieces. "You just have to be patient a little while longer, and then, you will get your reward."

The wicked creatures bowed as the Snow Queen dissappeared again with the Mirror. Unknown to the Snow Queen, the Duke's mind was reeling. Those trolls were the solution! They could help him to gain the same power as she had and more!

As the Snow Queen's horses ran as swift as the wind, neither of the two people noticed the pieces had begun to shift and shake by the great winds that came over. And unknown to them, a young prince was venturing down the North mountain with an unconcious queen in his arms...

\-------

"Bind their hands to their horses and let them walk all the way back!" barked Hans to the Ardellian soldiers. He didn't look to the two weaselton guards who tried to assassinate the queen. If he did, he would surely get his blood boiling again and do something he might regret... He had told them to stay on guard and not to harm the queen! Why did those two disobey him so carelessly?

The prince felt the queen stirr against his chest and he looked down. She was waking up... He glanced back to the soldiers, who were still preparing to leave. If she woke up, those soldiers would become cautious and restless. the queen truly possessed great power, but power can make people fear you. And like an animal in grave danger, those soldiers would lash out to protect themselves...

"Keep your eyes closed" sissed Hans into the queen's ear. He felt her body tense up, and her head shifted. Did she know who he was? must be... But, the queen did seem to sense the hostility and tension from all arround her, and she obliged. Hans let out a sigh. She was safe, for the time-being.

"Sire! we are ready to leave!" said one of the soldiers.

"Good." nodded Hans as he walked towards Sitron. "Captain, would you mind helping me lift the Queen up?" Hans saw the fear in the soldiers eyes and he waited. He knew that if he pushed him into doing this, it would only turn against him...

The loyalty seemed to win from the fear and the soldier took the queen into his arms as the prince mounted his horse.

"Thank you captain" said Hans grateful as he cradled the woman against his chest. He knew how fearful the soldier must have been... in fact, he too was afraid to get killed by the Queen's magic. Conceal, don't feel... don't let them know...

As the soldier returned to mount his horse, the prince's voice echoed wide and far to give his men instructions. "We will travel the same way as we came, so we don't get lost! The sun is going to set soon, so-AAAGH!"

The men looked worried to the prince as he clutched his chest in pain. "Sire! are you alright?!"

The prince gasped as he felt something sharp penetrate into his heart and he looked down, expecting it to come from the Queen... No. nothing at all. He felt Elsa stirr again, and he gripped her arm tighter, to indicate her to keep up the act. The least he wanted was to let the soldiers think it was caused by her... It would cost her her head for sure, and not even he would have the power to counteramount it!

"I'm fine!" yelled the prince as he kept his voice even. "Nothing to worry about. As I said, we have to go quickly. We don't want to spend the night in this freezing weather, so we don't pause, alright?!"

The men murmured in agreement and they set off again. When his face was out of the men's sight, the prince's face grimaced from the pain and cold that spread through his body. As the hours progressed, the prince's mind became inflicted by the Mirror shard, just like his uncle before. Perhaps it was a good thing fate had chosen him. His magic, that the prince didn't know he possessed, flared up to protect his owner. While any other men would have succumbed in a matter of seconds, the prince held out far longer.

"Go on Hans, smother Anna with that cushion...she'll be dead soon, anyway..."

"No, I...I won't! this is murder!"

"You are right" purred the voice inside his head. "The queen did murder her sibling... You should frame her for Anna's death..."

"I..." The prince slumped down the chair as his mind couldn't think clear anymore.

"you have the power to do it! She hurt your fiancé!" snarled the voice now more aggressively. Hans blinked and looked to the council members. "You don' t wan't to lose her like Aliya do you?" The prince's will power crumbled and the shard claimed his heart...

"With a heavy heart, I charge queen Elsa with treason...and sentence her to death."

\------------

Gerda felt herself weaken by the minute, the more she fought with the Duke. Her youthful face began to wither as well; as she became older, the Duke became younger. Soon, all her powers would be gone, and then, no one could stand a chance against him. As another blast of ice came towards her, she raised her hands to stop it. The force behind the Duke's attack was so large, she stumbled backwards, barely keeping the icicles from impaling her body. Her vision swimmed before her eyes and she blinked to refocus them. Gerda gasped when she saw another wave of Ice come towards her and she raised her hands to counter it, but she knew her magic couldn't counter it in time...

BOAammm!

Gerda had her eyes closed, expecting to die at that very moment, when she looked up to see the savior blast the sharp iciles away.

"Ah, come to join the party too?" chuckled the Duke towards Emma. "Don't worry. after I claim her magic, I'll claim yours, that of Hans an-" The Duke was smashed against the wall by Emma, causing him to fly several meters away from the Mirror Anna was approaching.

"You should talk less and fight more, Weasel" smirked Emma. She had learned that from Anna; apparently it would set the Duke off. And like anyone who couldn't think clearly from anger, they are doomed to make mistakes.

Here, it was just the case: abeit not with the result Emma had hoped. The Duke ran with blinding speed arround the two women, who had difficulty to pin-point his exact position. As such, their advantage for being with two, became now a hindrance as they stood in each others way to get the Duke.

"Aaaah!" Emma buckled as she felt a shard of ice graze her flesh and she tried angrily to blast the Duke, which missed by a long shot.

"Emma! let me face him alone! It is my fault I did this to you and your friends, so let me do this!"

"I won't!" yelled Emma as they now more defended themselves then attacked the Duke. "You'll die if you don't have someone's back!" She turned her face to smile towards the woman. "Its what friends do..."

Gerda smiled back towards the savior but her eyes widened when she saw the Duke raise his hands. "Emma! lo-"

Her warning came to late, as the savior was blasted against the wall, with huge thick icicles arround her body. They were so large and with so many, that the Savior couldn't even move a hand to blast those icicles away.

"Now...where were we?" smirked the Duke as he and Gerda circled again arround each other.

\------------

Hans meanwhile, had conjured up a second sword to defend himself and Anna from those ice golems. The prince swung his left sword to attack again and winced slightly when he felt his wound that his evil twin had made. He couldn't keep this up forever... He tasted his own blood on his lips and felt it sting into his right eye. The prince groaned as he disposed of another golem and saw two more take his place. It seemed like it would never end... Hans' eyes widened as he saw a sharp claw come his way and he conjured again an earth wall to protect him. He shut his eyes as a blinding pain came across his face and he felt his own blood stream down. The claw had gone right through the wall! The Duke's army had become so strong now, even magic didn't seem to keep them down. he prince slumped in shock from the pain to the ground as his vision became black. The golems marched on towards Anna, who had nearly reached the Mirror...

\----------

Arendelle, 1839.

As the Snow Queen walked arround Elsa's palace, she couldn't help but feel impressed by the girl's work. Truly, she was an amazing architect. The Icy sorceress flicked her hand, and the Mirror appeared before her. A strong gush of wind nearly knocked the Duke over as the Northern winds brought the shards towards their Mistress, fitting them into the Mirror. When the winds calmed down, the Snow Queen frowned. There was still a piece...no, two pieces missing...

"Mirror, Mirror, who can't be beat;

Show me how to be complete."

The reflection of the Snow Queen melted away to reveal a young auburn-haired man and...The woman swirled arround to face a grinning Duke.

"Search for this?" smirked the short man as he held up a shard.

"Give it to me...Or you will regret the day you ever encountered me..." snarled the sorceress.

"Nah...I prefer to hold on to this..." smiled the Duke maliciously as he plunged the shard into his chest. Unlike Hans or Kai, The Duke didn't resist the temptation inside his head. His heart had been frozen already; figurately and now literally.

"You betrayed me!" shrieked the Snow Queen as a storm began to swirl arround her. She advanced angrily upon the man to freeze him.

"no, really?" said the Duke semi-suprised. "You should really be careful about who you trust, Ingrid..."

"How do you..." whispered The Snow Queen shocked. She shook her head. "Doesn't matter. You can't do anything to harm me, Duke."

"Can't I?" said the Duke nonchalantly as he took out the Urn. Ingrid stiffened as she saw her prison. As she wanted to raise her hand, the Duke took of the lid, sucking the Snow Queen back inside it. "Now...as for your memories..." chuckled the Duke as he took out the troll stone. with a wave of his hand, the memories of the Snow Queen about last night vanished into the stone. The duke placed the urn carefully on the ground, before facing the incomplete Mirror.

\----------

"Hans!" Anna turned arround to see the wounded prince fall down. When she retreated her steps however, she saw the golems advancing upon her. She had to end this! She looked back to the glowing Mirror and ran as quickly as she could. Almost there...

\----------

"Henry!" Gold appeared in the made-up hospital to search for his grandson. "Henry!"

"I'm here, Granpa!" yelled the kid. When Granny put some ointment on his bruises he flinched from her touching his sensitive skin. "Where were you?"

"There were some problems in town." said Gold relieved as he saw Henry was unharmed. "But it seems those evil versions are gone for good... Where is that Snow Queen?"

"Still inside..." said Henry confused as Gold stormed off. "Granpa, wait, the Snow Queen is..." When Henry wanted to jump off the table, Granny held him back.

"Don't move, boy!" chided the old woman.

"But granpa..."

"They will tell him." shushed Granny as she went on treating him. "But right now you need to stay still for a little while..."

Gold stormed towards Robin and Regina, who was still busy melting the wall. "This is taking too long" growled the Dark one angrily. He snapped his fingers and the ice arround the entrance shattered into pieces.

"Gold! calm down!" snapped Regina as she took hold of his shoulder. She turned him arround to face her. "The Snow Queen is innocent! It was some...Duke of some sort, that made her do all this!"

"Really?" asked Gold interested as he stepped into the cave. "I'm curious to meet him..."

\---------

"AAAH!' The ice harvester screamed when he felt one of the claws cut into his skin.

"Kristoff!" yelled Elsa as she blasted the golem away. She quickly helped the Ice harvester up. "Come on, Anna...hurry up!" begged Elsa as she and Kristoff fought on. She concentrated on the ground, and as she raised her hands back up, a giant wave of ice spikes impaled multiple golems at once, giving her and Kristoff some rest. The young queen staggered on her feet and Kristoff held her up in his strong arms.

"Come on, Elsa, don't give up..." said Kristoff worried as he saw another string of blonde hair turn brown. Her wound...It had become worse...

"I won't" said the queen determinded as she regained her balance. She felt terrible and wanted nothing more then to rest...but she had to keep going, for Anna...Hans... She took in a deep breath and set her feet deeper into the ground. "Ready for round 7?"

Kristoff glanced back towards the approaching golems. "Not really...but I'm afraid we don't have a choice in this..." His arms trembled from swinging his axe. Just like the queen, he too had become exhausted from fighting. But who was he to complain, really? He glanced towards Elsa's bandaged wound, where some blood began to flow on her beautiful ice dress. His expression turned grim. He had grown fond of her quickly at their first meeting. She was like the little sister he never had... The bulky man raised his axe once more to swing it at the first golem that approached them.

\------------

After the Duke put the urn into a small cave, he went by the trolls he met earlier. "Troll!" yelled he. "I'm asking you a favor!"

The creatures looked suspiciously to the short man. "Who are you stranger?"

"I'm a friend of the Snow Queen" spoke the Duke as he knelt by the creature. "She asked me to come in her stead."

"I saw him earlier" commented another troll. "He must speak the truth..." The trolls murmured in agreement and put their guard down.

"What did the Mistress say, friend?" spoke the leader. "Are we finally free?"

The Duke hid his smirk. "No, not yet. She wanted to know, how to pledge yourself to the Mirror..."

The creature frowned. "I already told her, friend of the Snow Queen. Why ask again?"

"She wanted to make sure that she did it right" lied the Duke quickly. "She cares for you, and don't want to make a terrible mistake in the ritual..."

And so, the creature told the Duke, for he saw the same darkness that he himself possessed. "I will help you prepare it." cackled the creature as he waved his hand to transport the Mirror by their side.

The ritual began. It can not be described here on paper. For the words and the actions that were displayed, are truly too sinful and foul to write. When the ritual was complete, the Duke smirked and walked as in trance towards the Mirror.

"Go on, stranger...walk into it..." smirked one of the wicked trolls. "Get what you desire..."

The Duke frowned upon those words. "Wait...you want me to step in? I thought you were loyal to the Snow Queen?"

"She is in that urn you trapped her in, Duke" laughed another. "You are worthy, for we have encountered no-one as wicked as you... That Snow Queen was the best choice, untill you showed up..."

The Duke stepped through the Mirror and the wicked trolls laughed and danced as they carried arround the Mirror in victory. Although the Mirror needed his last piece to be complete, the creatures rejoiced. At least! They would have their vengeance! Their joy was short lived though. The Mirror of Reason wobbled into the hands of the evil creatures, and for the third time, the Mirror shattered on the ground, causing the Duke to scream in rage...

\--------------

Gerda flew backwards by the Duke's strong winds. Completely drained from her magic, she lost her immunity to the cold and her invincibility to wounds. She gasped for air as her lungs clapped shut by hitting the hard ground. "Finally.." smirked the Duke as Gerda lay down defeated. The former Snow Queen tried to stand up, but fell back as her arms couldn't bear her weight anymore.

As Gerda looked up into the eyes of the Ice King, Emma tried desperately to break free. "Don't do this! There has been bloodshed enough already!"

"Oh, Emma..." smirked the Duke as he conjured up a long sharp spike. "There is never enough of it." The spike went down, ready to pierce Gerda's heart when...

"NO!" With an inhuman effort of will and strength, Elsa had fought herself through the Duke's army and spurted in-between the Duke and Gerda, taking the spike for her own. The last few strings of blonde hair dissappeared completely, and Flashes of her life passed by in seconds..

"Do you want to build a snowman?" laughed her sister as a toddler.

"You made me remember?" smiled Olaf shyly.

"There you go warming up to me! You do care!" spoke Kristoff amused.

"We'll protect her..." said her father determinded.

"We'll find her...that's what family is for..." nodded Gerda assuringly.

Stop being so damn insecure! You're the queen of Arendelle, so ACT like it!" encouraged Hans.

Hans... The Queen looked downwards to her pierced chest before seeing only darkness. I love you...

The sickening sound of ice meeting flesh was heard loud and clear as Regina and Gold ran in. Even Anna swirled arround, to see her sister drop dead on the ground. "Elsa!" with tears in her eyes, the young princess looked how the Duke carelessly blasted Elsa away before refocusing back on Gerda. "NO!" Anna ran towards the Mirror and she raised her sword to crash it down.

"This is for my sister!" yelled the princess as the sword came down, causing cracks to appear.

The Duke gasped as he felt a sharp pain across his body. Just like the Mirror, his body began to crack as well.

The golems sensed their time was almost over, and when one of them attempted to kill Emma, Regina blasted the weakened creature to mush. The other golems, that marched on to the still unconcious prince, got stopped by Robin and Gold. "Hans, wake up!" yelled Robin as he tapped slowly the prince's bloodied face. He didn't answer...

"Stay away from her!" snarled Regina as she conjured up a giant fire wall to kill four golems in one stone.

"Stop!" yelled the Duke to his golems as he disintegrated further. "Protect me! protect the Mirror!"

"This is for my family!" yelled Anna as her sword came down a second time; causing more golems to collapse. The Duke was now limping towards the girl to prevent her from doing any other harm to the Mirror.

"And this-" screamed the red-head as she raised her sword once again.

"NO, don't you DARE-kugghhhh!" Suddenly the Duke's throat was taken into a firm hold grip by Hook, who had appeared too with Gold to help.

"This is for YOU!" With a mighty swing of her sword, the Mirror shattered on the ground and the Duke disintegrated into tiny glass pieces, along with the golems.

Everyone breathed heavily as the adrenaline was replaced by utter exhaustion. Hook ran towards Emma, who he catched just in time before she could slump on the ground. Anna got helped down the staircase by Regina.

"Kristoff!" cried the Princess as she buried her nose into the ice harvesters chest. The princess trembled from exhaustion, fear and sadness. "god...you're safe...safe..." As they looked to one another, they both saw the sadness reflected in each other for Elsa's loss...

While Anna and Kristoff strumpled towards her body, Robin managed to wake Hans up.

"Uhhh..." groaned the prince in pain. "Is...Is it done? Where is Anna! Elsa!" The prince coughed as he got some blood into his mouth.

"She's alright..." said Robin uncomfortably. "Anna is alright, the Duke is defeated..."

"Elsa!" the prince tried to stand up, but was held down by the thief.

"You need to stay..."

"I don't need to stay down!" yelled the prince now panicking. what had happened to her? "Where is she? Get me to her, NOW!" Robin glanced towards Gold and the two men obliged the prince's wishes as they helped him stand up.

Kristoff and Anna, along with Emma and Hook had arrived by Elsa's battered body. "Can't you do something?" whispered Emma as she helped Gerda up. She glanced towards the approaching prince. "If he sees..."

"we can't hide it from him! he deserves to know..." whispered Regina with tears in her eyes. "She's gone..."

Anna, who was crying on Kristoff's shoulder looked to the Evil Queen. "No! there has to be a way! You have to try!"

"I'm sorry, I can't!" said Regina powerless. "I simply ca-" the conversation stopped when they saw Hans arrive.

"No..." The prince would have fallen on the ground if Robin and Gold didn't support him. "No, nono... Elsa, no..."

"Hans...I'm truly sorry..." whispered Gerda as she saw her son's pain. "I..I didn't...I never wanted her..." The prince took her hand and pinched it.

"I know..." cried the Prince. "I know..."

"There isn't any other way to help her? anything? please!" whispered Anna as she saw the broken man in front of her.

"There is a way..." whispered Gerda as she shifted closer to the girl. "I still have some of my powers left...I channelled a part of me to her...i can do so again."

"No! Hans took hold of his mother's hand. "No, mother, if you do this...you are already weakened...you would-" he couldn't speak further, as he didn't want to utter the word. "I can't lose you too!" cried Hans as his tears mingled with his blood.

"You don't need me." whispered Gerda to her son. "you never needed me before. I'm tired. The world has changed so much... There is no place for me here anymore..." Gerda kissed Kristoff's cheek. "I'm of to see your parents, nephew of mine..." smiled the sorceress. She looked arround the group. "cherish each moment you have with your loved ones. All of you. I don't want you to grief for me..." She looked to her crying son. "no, not even you, my little snow prince... now, dry your tears and be brave..." Hans swallowed heavily as Gerda placed a last kiss upon his forehead.

The former Snow Queen placed her hands upon Elsa's battered body and white-blue magic transferred towards Elsa, causing everyone to stiffen up at the large amount of power that surged into the air. Everyone looked to the girl's braid and Hans' quivering lips curled up when he saw Elsa's braid turn white again. The spike disintegrated, and the wound healed. could it be foolish to hope? As the glow dissappeared the Snow Queen slumped down like a ragg doll, who was gently catched by Hook. Both he and Emma respectfully laid the Snow Queen down and looked just like all the others towards the young girl.

"Elsa?" whispered Anna as she looked hopefully to her sister. No answer. "Elsa?" Anna cried again as she shook her sister's shoulders. "Elsa, wake up! Don't you want to build a snowman? It doesn't have to be a snowman, it can be anything! or...or riding down the hall with the bicycles, eating chocolate, please just WAKE UP!"

The princess pounded her hands on the girl's chest, causing Elsa to gasp.

"Elsa!" The astonished queen got nearly smothered by her sibling's hug. She gasped again for air as her ribcage got crushed by the girl's strong arms.

"Can't- breathe!" huffed Elsa. "Anna-"

"O-" The girl sheepishly let her go and Elsa looked arround to search for a particular face. She stopped when she saw the one she was looking for....

"Hans..." the queen cried and threw herself into the prince's strong arms, relieved to see him again. "O, god..."

"Thank you, Lord..." prayed Hans against Elsa's shoulder. "Thank you to let my mother bring her back for me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly. I was crying when I wrote Gerda's and Elsa's death... god, this chapter made me a wreck!
> 
> Here, have some tissue's from me! *throws box towards readers.*
> 
> Please comment and review!
> 
> Love,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	26. Evigheden part 2

Evigheden (part 2)

As Hans and Elsa parted from their hug, they glanced to the Snow Queen who had made it possible to do so. "Mother?" Hans swallowed heavily. Surely fate would be kind once more to him? "Mom?" The man's voice began to crack as he touched her hand. She was even colder then Elsa was...

"Hans?" The prince's eyes flew open when he heard his mothers voice, abeit weak. "Is...is it..."

"Yes..." smiled Hans with tears in his eyes. "She's safe... we all are."

"Good... good..." rasped Gerda as her eyes travelled to the ceiling. the way her voice sounded, made the prince become worried again. "Everything is good."

"No!" screamed Hans as he saw her eyes close again. The prince took her fragile body in his arms, keeping her eyes focused on his. "No, no, you stay here, do you hear me?"

"Such...beautiful roses..." smiled Gerda with unfocused eyes. "Kay..."

The prince's chest heaved as he saw her eyes close. "Mother... don't leave me..." for a moment, Hans became that scared child again, hiding behind his pillows from monsters under his bed. "don't leave me..." As the prince wept upon his dying mother's body, no-one noticed Gold, who knelt by one of the many Mirror pieces. As the Dark one, he could sense the grave amount of magic that lingered upon the glass... And as usual, the man could never resist power when it was displayed in front of him. Just when he wanted to pick one of the pieces up, it seemed as if the sun had crashed down to earth itself, so blinding was the sudden light.

"STAND BACK!" boomed a female voice, causing everyone to cover their ears in pain. "THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH SUFFERING ALREADY!"

When the light faded more or less, everyone looked to the female that had appeared. Or rather, they had to look up, as the woman was as tall as the cave they stood in. She had a beautiful long bow, with sharp arrows on her back. Her dress was made out of different animal pelts such as wolves and polar bears. Her feet were bare, and she didn't seem fazed by the cold either, despite such a short revealing dress.

"I have to excuse myself." apologized the mysterious woman as she looked repulsed down to the dark one before her. "I'm afraid I'm not used to take much... human proportions as I once did." with that said, the woman shrinked to a normal human height. The strange woman raised her hand, and the pieces of The Mirror flew back together, forming a shield arround her arm. As she passed by the Dark one, and approached the group, Hans angrily stood up.

"Get out" snarled the prince angrily. "I don't care who you are, but I won't let you take another one I love!"

The woman looked unfazed to the prince's sparkling hands. "Young prince, I didn't come here for a fight. If I wanted to kill you, I could have done that without a thought."

"Hans, don't!" paled Kristoff as he took hold of his cousins shoulder. "She's..."

"I don't care who she is!"

"Hans..." whispered Anna scared as she too knew who the woman was. "Don't anger her"

Hans didn't listen to their advice and looked with the same hostility to the stranger. "yeah? you don't want to see ME angry, princess" The prince's eyes stood on fire.

The woman chuckled at Hans' determination to take her on. "I fear it would be an unfair fight for you to take on the godess of Winter." Her eyes glowed unearthly blue, and Hans stumbled fearfully backwards by the amount of power that had begun to radiate from her. Hans, as well as the rest of the group, quickly knelt down in humility for legendary godess. Just when the woman raised her hands to smite the young man down, Elsa jumped in-between the cross-fire once again.

"Please, wait!" pleaded Elsa to the godess. "He didn't mean disrespect towards you! He just lost his mother. His sadness for her, caused him to misplace his anger towards you, great Skadi." The Godess lowered her hand in suprise.

"Gerda is your mother?" spoke Skadi softly to the still trembling prince.

"Yes" swallowed Hans as he put his hands arround Elsa protectively. He had just angered a godess, no less! Any man would be fearful for their punishment...

Skadi looked to the dying Snow Queen. " I remember still the day she came into my palace to demand her little brother Kay back. Not asked, but demanded it." She chuckled softly at the memory.

"YOU was the one who took my father away?" asked Kristoff unbelievingly to the godess. "Why? If you hadn't done that, all of this..." he waved to his aunt, to Elsa and Hans. "All of this, would never have happened! We...we pray for you for a good hunt, for a gentle winter...yet, you cause all this pain? "

"I didn't mean to take her brother away...but I had no choice, Wood whisperer." said Skadi as she looked up to the bulky Ice harvester. "The Mirror was mine to protect... I failed to do so. One night, those wicked sprites broke in, and made it shatter for their amusement" Skadi gritted her teeth for her own inattention. "I felt guilty for those innocent people who had been inflicted by it. I took them with me to heal them with the intention to return them safely to their families..." Skadi frowned. "Your father Kay, had been in the worst condition of all. I had give up all hope to save him, when Gerda managed to do what I couldn't."

"The Mirror...is yours?" asked Anna suprised as she looked to the reformed Mirror-shield in the woman's arms.

"Indeed." smiled Skadi to the young princess. "Now that it is mine once again..." Skadi's eyes travelled repulsed to the still kneeling Dark one. "I'll make sure they won't fall into the wrong hands once more."

Skadi looked to the prince, who had knelt beside her, and had taken his mother again in his arms. Gerda's breathing had nearly stopped. Death had become impatient... "I'm truly sorry, child. She was a dear friend to me... I can delay her death, but not stop it. As a gift to you, I'll let you say your goodbyes to each other before I let her pass on..." As the mighty winter godess waved her hands arround her body, causing a light to raise up into her hands. When they watched on, the light morphed and melted into a ghostly form.

"Mom..." The prince's lips quivered as he saw her, and he hugged her ghost as tightly as he could. "I...I'm so, SO sorry."

"sssshhh..." whispered Gerda as she caressed her son's hair. "Don't be."

"But...I couldn't save you.." whispered Hans.

"Oh, Hans..." smiled Gerda as she cupped his cheek. "you already did. Once, I got a prophecy from an Apprentice, that I would be reunited with my family. And I did." Both mother and son cried.

"I...there are so many things I want to tell you..." Hans swallowed heavily. "And I don't even know what." He chuckled and rubbed his red crying eyes.

Gerda laughed softly and took his warm hand in her's. "Sometimes, there are no words to be said..." the Former Snow Queen looked to her nephew. "I'll give your parents your greetings, boy." Kristoff's eyes were just as red as Hans's and he too ran towards her for a last hug. "I'll always be here, don't forget that. You may not see me, but I am with you..." Both men gasped as they felt her ghostly form vanish from their grip.

"I have to go too, I'm afraid." said Skadi as she watched Gerda's ghost vanish. "We aren't needed any longer. Even Gods aren't immortal." She looked kindly to the young Ardellian queen. "I gave Gerda a part of me, as she did to you. Say it, and your powers will be gone."

Elsa blinked. She wanted this for...well, almost her entire life ever since she hurt Anna. But now... "I thank you for your offer, but I want to keep them." declined the queen. Skadi's eyebrows went up. "Not that I don't appreciate your kindness...but, I have grown to see them as a blessing."

Skadi blinked suprised. She honestly didn't understand those humans at times. But, that's what had made her so curious for them in the first place. That's why she took those people with her; not only to take their Mirror shards out, but to study their manners as well. It seemed like those humans would always stay such unpredictable, loving creatures...

"Very well, child." smiled the Winter Godess kindly. "I can't honestly magine a better successor to bear those powers then you." Elsa blushed by the godess' compliment and the godess looked to Hans, who now took hold of Elsa's hand. "Take care of her, Hans. Like Gerda and me, she's not meant to stay alone". With that said, the godess dissappeared in a cloud of snowflakes, taking the Mirror of Reason with her.

"Gerda, come on, wake up, wake up!" yelled Kay as he shook his sisters hand.

"Kay...go back to sleep!"

"Who needs sleep?" laughed her brother. "Don't you want to dance?"

Gerda opened her eyes. When she took her brother's hand to stand up, they weren't wrinkled anymore, but soft as that of a Child. "Dance?"

"Yes!" His laugh made Gerda wanna sing of Joy. "Like the winter festival! Come on, surely you remember those steps I taught you?"

"I don't know..." said Gerda as she hesitated before the Door. "Surely mom and dad they wouldn't want we stayed up so long."

Kay's blue eyes twinkled. "Gerda, they are dancing here too."

"They are?"

"Yes, and we can dance as long as we can" assured Kay as he put a rose in her hair. "Now, are you ready?"

"I was born ready" smiled Gerda as Kay opened the Door. Both siblings took hold of each others hands and stepped over the threshold...

They had ceased Gerda into Ice, thanks to Elsa's magic, perserving her body against decomposition. It was the least Elsa could do, besides giving support to the two cousins, as Anna did. They didn't say "everything is going to be alright" or "time will heal all wounds". They just stood by them, and that was for Kristoff and Hans more worth then words could ever describe. Elsa glanced to the two cousins. She couldn't imagine the pain they went through. To be re-united with your family, only to lose them again in just a day... But, they had gained also gained a new family, abeit not related by blood. During their time in Storybrooke, the inhabitants had grown to see Hans and Elsa as friends. It didn't take long for Anna and Kristoff to integrate and interact with the town people as well. Everyone came: Charming and Snow, Regina and Robin with Roland, Belle and Rumple... They all spoke kind words and left them with new-found strength to carry their grief.

When the two couples were alone that night, Kristoff cleared his throat. both sisters and Hans looked up in suprise to the ice harvester, but stayed silent. It had been silent for a long time now, and when Kristoff spoke, it was hoarsh from both crying and staying silent.

"I still have something, that I got to show you..." Kristoff took a crumpled letter out of his pocket and Anna's eyes began to water.

"Mama's letter! I thought..." Anna's lips began to quiver.

"I kept it safe with me." smiled Kristoff to his fiancé as she hugged him.

"Then I believe I should go." said Hans as he stood up. He wanted the sisters to let them read their parents last words alone. He wasn't family or betrothed like Kristoff...

"No!" Hans looked suprised up to Elsa as she took his hand, guiding him back on the seat. "Stay with me."

"But...I'm not family" said Hans uncomfortably. "I don't want to ruin-"

"Hans, you are as much family as Elsa is to me." interrupted Anna the auburn-haired man. "My sister needs your support."

Hans' green eyes shifted to the nervous queen to see snowflakes swirl arround her. He now noticed Anna and Kristoff were shivering from the cold. The temperature had dropped by ten degrees...and he didn't even feel it.

"And not only in that way." added Anna as Hans made the room warm again.

"I'm fine..." said Elsa as she clenched her hands together. "Its just..."

"You're afraid what they are going to say..." spoke Hans softly as he sat next to her. The queen nodded and shifted closer to Hans, taking his warm hand into her's. Anna did the same with Kristoff and everyone in the room went quiet, besides Kristoff's gruff voice to read the letter aloud:

Anna, Elsa...

How do I even start? There is so much to tell, and so little time to write.

Elsa, my little snowflake... I'm so sorry for everything. I should have told you so many years ago why and how you got those ice powers. You often asked me and father, and we always avoided it. Because we feared, that you would hate us for what we did to you. We shut your pleas out, like we shut Anna out for you. In my chambers, there is a urn hidden inside your father's closet. In there, is the woman that cursed you with those powers. Or how I now realize, gifted you with it. Please, when you release her, tell her I'm truly sorry for condemning her without hearing her words. She can help you with these powers more then we ever could. Don't burden yourself with the guilt we bestowed on you. Get to know your sister, your people, the world...Go sailing, like you always wanted. Because life is swift and can be over quicker then you think. Don't conceal, Snowflake, but feel.

Kristoff stopped for a moment as he heard Elsa cry.

"you're alright?" whispered Hans as the queen snuggled against his chest.

"Yeah..." sniffed Elsa as she dried her eyes with her hands. "Yeah, I'm fine..." she locked eyes with her sister, who's eyes were red too from crying.

Kristoff too, had difficulty to keep his voice even. "Do you want me to continue?" said he in a hoarsh voice, glancing towards his fiancé.

When both sisters nodded, Kristoff read on:

Anna, little flower...I can't say how sorry I am for not explaining Elsa's isolation. We always put Elsa first in our concern, afraid she might hurt you again like on that faithful night. You must have felt so angry at us, and at Elsa for not giving the attention you so gravely needed. And I won't I blame you. Don't be mad at Elsa, llittle flower, because she only did what we thought what was best for the kingdom. We never thought what was the best for YOU BOTH. Don't ever think we loved you less then Elsa, Anna. We saw you doubt, and question yourself if you were good enough. You ARE good enough. Your spirit and kindness towards us, and our people inspired us to stay positive. To hope, that everything would be fine for our kingdom and our little family. You are not a spare for us, Anna. You have a great heart, and I believe you will become a wonderful, kind ruler by Elsa's side.

We love you both more then I or Agdarr can ever tell.

After Kristoff closed the letter, the two couples embraced one another for comfort. All four wept for their loved ones who couldn't be here today, but as their tears dried on their cheeks, their sadness diminished a little. They still had each other to hold on too. There was still hope to believe in. There were still people who helped them during their darkest hours. They weren't alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skadi is the Scandinavian Godess of the Winter, the Hunt and the Mountains. Some believe "the Snow Queen" from H.C. Andersen was inspired by her.
> 
> This is quite an emotional chapter, not only for this story, but for me as a Belgian citizen as well. I want to dedicated this part to the victims and families in my country. I pray for every country in the world as well, to never see such horrible deeds. Cherish the moments you have with your family; you only have one.
> 
> Love and Peace for you all,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	27. Giving warm hugs and building snowmen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I want to thank you all who read and reviewed this story. Without you, I would never have come so far with this story. Last chapter was quite emotional, but now, it will be more lighthearted and hilarious...along with a lot of Helsa and Kristanna smut. There will be some sexual scenes, but I don't go that far as to describe what they are exactly doing. I leave that to your nasty imagination. This chapter is a stand-alone, and doesn't affect the overall story. So if you don't want to read such things, you can simply go to the next chapter.
> 
> (Disclaimer: "Fixer upper" and "Love can't be denied" belong to the makers of Frozen.)

Another day had passed in Storybrooke... Although she liked the tranquility, she felt more restless the longer she stayed, as she missed her home so badly. She had found Anna... Nothing was actually here that kept her. Well...besides maybe...

Elsa heard his footsteps approach and stop right next to her. They didn't say anything, but the silence was comfortable untill Hans broke it. "The sky is beautiful..."

Elsa hummed in agreement as she looked up to the Aurora Borealis. "Yes it is. It seems Skadi mourns your mother too..." She bit her lip. That was so rude of her! Even after two years, she still had difficulty with... well, communication. Often it lead like now to akward sentences she blurted out. She felt her cheeks redden. "I'm sorry. that was inappropiate of me."

Hans shook his head. "Not at all... Why aren't you inside?" asked the man as he glanced to her.

"I needed some fresh air" smiled Elsa as she sat on the bench. She quickly took another sip of her glass of wine, but regretted it as she felt the alcohol rise into her head. Better stop after this one... "Not to mention that I have two left feet when it comes to dancing..." She looked back to Granny's where she saw her sister with Kristoff. Instead of a walz, here in Storybrooke they just seemed to move their arms... Very strange indeed.

Hans saw Elsa's eyes shift to Granny's, before his green eyes shifted back to Elsa. A new song, a slower one, had just begun to play. "May I have this dance?"

Elsa looked suprised to the prince. "Hans, I told you, I ccan't dance... WOAH!" Suddenly the queen got lifted from the bench as Hans pulled her up.

"Its never too late to learn..." smiled Hans. "I believe we have to start over..." The prince let go of her hands and bowed. "May I have this dance, your highness?"

Elsa, who felt a little more at ease with the familiar greeting, bowed as well. "You may." the queen shuddered as she felt his hand arround her's, and she laid her hand on his other arm.

"No, no." chuckled Hans as he redirected her hand more upwards, to his shoulder. "There..." Then he took her waist, and Elsa gasped when he pulled her closer. "Now..." Elsa shuddered when she heard his voice against her ear. "follow my lead. and don't look down to your feet, just look at me, alright?" Elsa nodded, and Hans began to change his feet, causing Elsa to triple over them multiple times.

"Sorry..." mumbled Elsa. "I'm terrible."

Hans just chuckled, but he wasn't laughing her out. "No you're not. You just need to relax..." They tried again, and this time, Elsa felt more at ease. It felt weird to give Hans the lead at first, but she realized now, it was all about trusting the other. "There you go..." smiled Hans proudly as they danced arround the courtyard. As they danced on, Hans swirled Elsa arround, and she returned to his arms as if they were doing it for years. Again, Elsa shuddered, not from the cold, but the excitement. She felt like she was flying somehow, faster and faster, with Hans as her centre...

"Did you say something?" asked Elsa as she heard him hum.

"uh?" mumbled Hans as he swirled her arround once again. "oh, yes...well..." this time, it was the prince who blushed. "Just...a stupid song I hummed" He chuckled akwardly. "I'm sorry."

"No, I like to hear it" smiled Elsa as she was now with crossed arms, with her back against his chest.

"You don't want to hear it..." said Hans shyly as they danced out of their embrace. He sighed when Elsa raised her eyebrows, taking on her "I'm the queen"-face. "Fine, alright. don't look at me like that..." Hans swallowed heavily and softly began to sing:

"Love can't be denied  
Love must have its way  
Once it gets inside  
Love is there to stay  
Once you let your heart awaken  
Love can't be denied

Try to run and hide  
Try to slam the door  
Love can't be denied  
Love keeps wanting more  
Love won't let itself be shaken  
No matter how I've tried"

To Hans's suprise, Elsa began to take over:

"It flows through my veins  
It burns beneath my skin  
It calls my name  
And says, "You fool! Give in!

Tear inside the doubt  
Cast away your pride  
Love can't be kept out  
Love can't be denied  
Let yourself be overtaken  
And swept before the tide."

They were now both breathing heavily with flushed cheeks. And it was for neither from the cold... They sang now at the same time:

"Love's the only thing  
No one is above  
I can love  
That love can't be denied"

At the same time, the song inside Granny's had also ended, but neither parted from each other's arms. Their heads came closer and both could almost taste each other's lips when...

FLASH! Both royals jumped apart when a flashlight appeared into their eyes, blinding them. cheers came from out of the mansion:

"It was about bloody time!" screamed Hook.

"Good work ginger boy." smirked Regina.

"I'm so happy for you two!" cheered Snow.

Both the prince and the queen's face turned redder then red. Emma, with her super power, sensed what they had done...or rather, what they hadn't done. "Guys! we were too soon!" screamed Emma across the group, causing them become silent. "They haven't kissed yet..." cries of dissappointment was heard across the group.

"I...I should go..." stammered Hans he took his hand out of that of Elsa's. "I...uh..." The prince turned arround when he was suddenly stopped by a sword pricking in his neck.

"Anna!" cried Elsa shocked by her sister's behaviour.

"Where are you going?" asked Anna angrily as she pricked into the prince's neck.

"I...uh...nowwhere..." gulped Hans as he stepped backwards.

"I thought so" smiled Anna as she removed her sword from the prince. "Now, you go to my sister, and tell her how you feel towards her."

"Anna!" blushed Elsa as she clutched her arms in embarrassement. "Please, we're not...He..."

"Thats not..." mumbled Hans as well.

Anna groaned in desperation. "God, how many hints do you need?!" Anna shoved the prince back to Elsa. "Is it the regal way she walks?"

"Or the beautiful way she talks?" sang Charming.

"Or the cute light freckles on her skin!" commented Kristoff.

Hans glanced angrily to his cousin. "Come on, not you too!"

Kristoff shrugged. "Hey, I grew up with love experts remember?"

"are you holding back your fondness,

due to his unmanly softness" giggled Emma to Elsa.

"Or the way you cover up that you care so much for him!" said Henry.

"So he's bit of a fixer upper!

"He saved you from thugs!

Her isolation is comformation

of her desperation of healing hugs!

So she's a bit of a fixer upper,

but we know what to do!

The way to fix this fixer upper,

is to fix him up for you!"

"stop it, stop it...ENOUGH!" yelled Elsa. "We can't be together! I'm a queen, I can't just marry a digraced prince, My people will never forgive hi-"

"I'll say" growled Hook. "Tell me dear; Is it his akward bright red hair?"

"Or how she likes you to dare?" sang Belle to Hans.

"Or the way you seem to smile when he is besides you?" laughed Ruby to Elsa.

"So you're bit of a fixer upper,

Your brains are quite betwixt;

Get your issues out the way, and the whole thing will be fixed!"

Anna took hold of her sister's hands.

"We're saying you did change him,

you thawed his frozen heart"

"We're saying that love's a force  
That's powerful and strange.  
People make bad choices if they're mad,  
Or scared, or stressed.  
But hrow a little love their way...and you'll bring out their best.

True love brings out the best!

Everyone's a bit of a fixer-upper,  
That's what it's all about!"

Kristoff: "Cousin!"

Anna: "Sister!"

Hook: "Brother!"

Everyone: "We need each other  
To raise us up and round us out.  
Everyone's a bit of a fixer-upper,  
But when push comes to shove..."

Elsa was pushed towards Hans and she might have fallen on the ground if Hans hadn't catched her in time.

Anna:  
"The only fixer-upper fixer  
That can fix a fixer-upper is..."

True! true!  
True, true, true!  
Love!  
Love, love, love, love, love  
Love!

True...

Anna: "Do you Elsa, take Hans to your husband?"

Both Hans and Elsa cried out simultaniously: "Anna!"

Her sister giggled. "Just kidding..." Everyone laughed.

Hans suddenly realized he still had his arms arround Elsa's and he looked down to her, before glancing back to the crowd. He gritted his teeth; as much as he loved their efforts to help them... it only caused more akwardness for them both now their special alone moment was gone. CRACK! Everyone jumped back when Elsa and hans suddenly dissappeared underground.

"You okay?" breathed Hans as he felt Elsa's trembling body.

"Yeah...I'm!" chuckled Elsa as she hugged him once more. "i'm alright...with you..." They couldn't see eachother in the dark, and only use their other senses. It was quiet for a few seconds, as they only listened to their heartbeat and breathing. "Hans... May I ask something of you as well?"

"Sure..." rumbled his chest against her head. "What is it?"

"Well... I can't exactly say..." smiled Elsa. "But...I can show you..."

"What is-MMMMM!" Hans went silent when he felt her lips crash on his. At first, he felt a pang of guilt for kissing her; His mother had only died 2 days ago. It felt wrong. But then he remembered how she said that he shouldn't grief for her. If that was what his mother wanted... He kissed Elsa back and closed his eyes. After all, how often and how quick hadn't they both been on the brink of death? Life was indeed too short to stay in the past. When they stopped kissing, they both were out of breath. "That's...good..." He felt Elsa tense up.

Didn't he like it? thought Elsa. Maybe i'm not such a good kisser...

"i'm afraid you have to show it again" laughed Hans softly in her ear. "I didn't quite see it in the dark..."

Elsa laughed and their lips met again. Their hands fundled with their clothes, practically ripping them off as their lust grew. As they began to explore each other's body, Elsa couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. At first, she couldn't quite lay her finger on it why. It wasn't because she was afraid of hurting him; Their magic was equal in force. So, no. That wasn't the case. It also wasn't because she didn't want it. on the contrary, she really wanted to take this next step in to their relationship. Then why... it suddenly dawned on Elsa that Hans had already bedded someone. Her uneasiness only grew now that she knew the cause. What if Hans didn't feel satisfied with her? What if he thought that Aliya had been a better lover then her?

"Elsa!" Anna looked arround to find her sister. As desperate as she was, she began to dig a hole where Hans and Elsa had dissappeared.

"Anna!" called Kristoff as he pulled his fiancé back. "Its no use; your sister is safe."

"Is she?" asked Anna concerned. "The ground just swallowed her, Kristoff! I can't lose her again!"

Kristoff chuckled softly at the girl's concern for her sibling. "She is fine. Hans is with her. I suspect he caused it to happen."

"Why would he do that?"

"What would you do when you want to be alone with your lover?"

Anna opened her mouth. "oh..." She blushed when Kristoff put his strong arms arround hers. "Uhm...Kristoff..." She sighed as she felt his hand go upwards. "There are people here!" She quickly patted his hand and swirled arround. Her cheeks were flushed from both excitement and embarassment.

"Well, then we have to find another place..." whispered Kristoff as he kissed her neck, knowing all too well that she was ticklish on that spot.

"Emma!" yelled Anna to the Savior inside. "Can we lend a room?"

"Elsa?" Hans stopped when he felt her body become stiff against his. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"no, no, you didn't" whispered Elsa as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Please, don't bother yourself with it." Suddenly, Elsa felt Hans' body dissappear from her's completely.

"Don't bother myself?" asked Hans incredulously as he took her hands. "Elsa, what are you thinking of me? I can't enjoy this if you can't." The man cradled her against his chest. "Come on, tell me what's wrong."

Elsa snuggled against his chest. "Its just... You already have so much...experience in this." Hans stayed silent. Normally he would have answered with a sassy remark, but he heard how much difficulty Elsa was having with explaining this to him. "i'm just afraid that I will not be good enough for you." whispered Elsa as tears streamed down her cheeks. "That I won't be able to replace Aliya for you; What if you grow tired of me, and-"

"Elsa!" shushed Hans as he put his finger on her lips. "Stop. Don't EVER say such things again. Don't you ever think you are less then her. Yes, I fell in love with her. But now, I'm with love with you. You are an amazing intelligent, beautiful woman. And I don't want you to change in any other way. I don't want a replica of my former wife. You are you. And that is more then enough for me." Hans kissed her on her cheeks, tasting each and every tear that fell down. As time progressed, their kisses became less comforting, and lustful once again. Elsa felt more relaxed now and she pressed her body harder against his, encouraging him to go further.

"I love you" gasped Elsa as Hans placed kisses in her neck. Frost had appeared on the prince's back, but it melted quickly thanks to the prince's abnormal high body temperature.

Hans swallowed heavily. "I love you too, Elsa" Elsa moaned when she felt his lips again on her's. Yet, the prince drew back one last time. "Are you sure, you want this? May I...I mean...we..." the prince gasped when he felt her nails dig into his shoulder, pulling him closer to her face.

"You may" whispered Elsa and she leaned in once more to kiss him.

The hot and cold are both so intense... put them together, it just makes sense...

The Next Morning...

"Anna, did you sleep well?" asked Henry innocently to the princess.

"Uh... yeah, sure!" answered the princess without looking from her breakfast.

"Oh...i just thought I heard you scream last night..." commented Henry. All the adults' eyes glanced towards Anna and Kristoff.

Elsa's eyes widened. "Anna!" chided her older sister. Her red haired sister blushed. "You slept with-" she shut her mouth for Henry's sake. Good lord! "You slept well?" Elsa quickly changed her sentence, pretending to cough.

"Not really..." Anna didn't look to her angry sister. "I...uhm...I had a nightmare!" evaded the princess. She sighed relieved as Henry seemed to believe it.

"Kristoff must have given you a LOT of warm hugs to comfort you..." smirked Hans. Kristoff nearly choked on his coffee while Anna's knife missed to cut her pancake.

"Hans!" growled Elsa. The prince looked back to her with an innocent smile.

"Yeah..." Kristoff looked with warning eyes to his cousin. "yeah. we did. I actually had to hug her THREE times before she slept." Elsa paled even further, while Emma and the Charmings looked with open mouths to the conversation.

"But, You did sleep well, right, Henry?" asked Snow quickly to stop the akward silence.

"Yeah..." smiled the kid oblivious for the akward situation.

"You really need to wash your hair better, Henry. The shampoo isn't fully out" said Snow as she combed his hair.

"I know." sighed Henry. "But it was the shower. It was covered in snow and ice... I was afraid to slip, so I took a quick shower. I wanted it to clean up, so..."

Now it was Anna's turn to be angry. "O, good lord!" snarled the princess. "You actually fuc-" Emma coughed and Anna quickly shut her mouth, also pretending something was in her throat. "You can't be serious! Why did you cover that entire shower in ice?"

It was Elsa who answered. "We...I...Me and Hans... tried to build a snowman."

All the adults looked deadpanned to Elsa. NO WAY Henry would ever believe-

"Really?" asked Henry interested. "How did it go? I mean, with your powers being the exact opposite..."Kristoff and Anna could barely hold their laughter in, while the Charmings looked like they were going to faint, and Emma at the verge of kicking the two couples out of the house.

"We...uhm... Its simply really. Its like those warm hugs, right Kristoff?" said Hans with a straight face. "You just need to know when and how much you use it." Henry looked confused to the auburn haired man.

"Excuse me?" said Kristoff unbelievingly. "We didn't have a rock to climb under to or a shower to practise snowmanbuilding!"

"But you could at least have Anna woken up from her "nightmare" said Hans to his cousin. "That kid couldn't sleep 'cause-"

"Look, my "nightmares" have nothing to do with this. Why of all people, did you "build a snowman" without me knowing it!" said Anna while narrowing her eyes to Hans. "You know her what, exactly a week? And then you are scolding me out for letting Kristoff "Hugging" me?" said Anna to her sister.

"GUYS!" roared Emma. "Quiet, now!" The conversation went silent as Emma turned her attention back to Henry. "Henry, pack your bag."

"But it is not even half 8!"

"Well, we don't want to be late" said Emma while she gave him his bag and ushered him out of the door. She was SO going to ask Regina to drop those two couples on a deserted Island...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe. Had a lot of fun writing the "morning after" scene. For Hans and Elsa, I believe they needed that extra push from Anna and the others to fully open up to each other. They always concealed their emotions, and for both it was difficult to actually admit them. Also, did you notice that this is the FIRST TIME Hans and Elsa actually say "I love you" to each other?
> 
> As for Anna and Kristoff, I didn't focus on them, cause one: they are already 2 years together, so they are quite clear on their feelings and desires for each other. reason two: I still need time to get their personalities right. I like Kristanna, but it hasn't grown on me as quickly as Helsa did. Who knows, maybe I'll write in the future about them. If you have suggestions for Kristanna fics, leave them.
> 
> As always, review, share your thoughts!
> 
> Love,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	28. Timeline of events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it isn't a new chapter... but before you scroll dissappointed away, read a bit further...
> 
> After relooking to the dates, I noticed they aren't the same as is mentioned on wikipedia.
> 
> "Frozen" takes place on 8th july 1839, instead of 1843 as I thought before. So, I went back through the chapters and made the dates go along side with what is canon. I hope I haven't missed one of the dates... I know it must be a bit difficult for you readers to keep track of all these events, so I created a timeline for you all.

1814:

Events of "The Snow Queen" occur;

Gerda Andersen (13) travels for a whole year before finding her brother (12).

1816:

Gerda (14) encounters Julian Westerguard (21);

Hans Westerguard is born.

1819:

Kristoff Bjorgmann and Elsa of Arendelle are born;

Gerda flees after accidentally causing Elsa's death;

Death of Kay Andersen and Sigunn Bjorgmann (Kristoff's parents);

Transformation of Gerda into the Snow Queen;

Elsa receives her powers.

1832:

Hans (16) and his brother Lars (24) encounter Captain Hook;

Lars dies while fighting the pirate;

1836.

King Agdarr (38) and Queen Idunn (36) die at sea.

1838.

Death of Aliya (17) and Eddard, Hans' wife and son.

8th July 1839.

Coronation day of Queen Elsa (21);

The big Freeze of Arendelle takes place;

Prince Hans (23) declared guilty for regicide;

Princess Anna (18) and Kristoff Bjorgmann (21) start a relationship.

1840.

Events of "Frozen Fever" take place.

1841.

Anna prepares her wedding with Kristoff;

Gerda, the Snow Queen, gets released from her urn;

Southern Isles and Arendelle on the brink of war;

The Snow Queen freezes the whole kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you begin to yell at me for giving Gerda such a young age when she encounters King Julian, let me explain.
> 
> In this time period, girls were already considered a woman when they began 'to bleed'. Which is when you're arround 12 or 13.
> 
> The same goes for men. (not about the bleeding part, but about the age, silly!) Children didn't have such a long childhood like we now do; they had to grow up quickly.
> 
> Anyway, I hope this timeline was helpful to you.
> 
> Love,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	29. Heroes and Villains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are almost at the end... It has been wonderful to share this story with you, and I hope you liked the journey as much as I did. Don't worry, there is still an epilogue left after this part.

Anna whistled when she saw the gigantic wall in front of them. "That's a lot of Ice..." She looked to her sister, who walked confidently forward; At least, so she appeared to be for Anna. Emma reasoned a few minutes back that if Elsa inherited Gerda's magic, she could surely thaw it now, since it was made by Hans' former mother.

"Well, It's time for it to come down" said Elsa as she raised her glowing hands. It seemed Emma was indeed right with her theory, as her magic had no effort now to bring the ice wall down. Slowly, Elsa bended her arms down, as she commanded the ice to dissappear all together.

"You were amazing...as always" smiled Hans in her ear. Elsa blushed by his compliment and took hold of his hand.

Anna meanwhile, was happily jumping to the townline. "Great, now can we go back ho-"

"STOP!" cried Emma. Anna obliged, with her feet still in the air. "That's the townline..."

"Right..." said Anna confused. "But, I want to leave the town..."

"The wall may be down, but the Mirror's magic still remains..." Emma slowly stretched her hand, and when she touched the barrier, it began to glow a dark-blue. She pressed a few times, but the barrier didn't bulge. "Yeah... leaving this town has never been simple. That Duke didn't change things. He wanted to keep you all here, making this a prison for us all..."

"So how do we get back home?" asked Anna concerned.

"Walking wouldn't get us anywhere... we are in a different realm." mumbled Elsa out loud.

"We need to find a portal...or a magic bean, something like that." said Emma to the group.

Suddenly Kristoff's head snapped up at the mention of the bean. "Did you say bean?"

"Uh...yeah?"

Kristoff ran to the savior and spun her arround. "Emma you're a genius! I could kiss you!" Kristoff felt his fiancé's eyes pierced on him and quickly put the woman down. "I mean... not that I really would do that.." Kristoff chuckled nervously. "I'm afraid I wouldn't live if I did."

"So?" asked Hans with his eyebrows raised. "What caused you to nearly make out with Emma?"

"Hans!" scolded Anna as she punched the man's ribs with her elbow. It was meant to be playful though. She still needed to get accustomed at the fact that Hans was now in a relationship with Elsa. Not that she would ever dissapprove of it: the prince had proven himself to be a redeemed man. But just to think that he was her fiancé two years ago... She chuckled softly. How strange events went... She glanced back to Elsa, seeing her smile at Hans' remark. She was happy with him... And that was all that mattered to Anna. She refocused back on Kristoff's explaination.

"Remember how we got each two beans from Lappekonen?" said Kristoff to his cousin. "I used one to get to Arendelle...I believe Gerda stole the other one, since it isn't in my pocket anymore... But you stilll should have them, right?"

Hans' eyes widened at the mention of the beans and slammed his hand against his face. "Those beans were in my grey coat...I gave them away with Snow, after the cave-in!" Their ticket to freedom had been in his hands the whole time! The prince groaned. Both he and Elsa had retrieved their lost memories after Emma had found those troll rocks in Gerda's cave. Why didn't he think of them sooner!

"Hans, don't bother yourself with it! You didn't know at the time. We simply need to search for those things again!" said Anna urgently. "We need to hurry."

"We don't need to rush, we need to be careful." said Elsa to her worried sibling. "Arendelle will still be there while we figure this out."

"Might not." said the princess depressed. She gasped and turned her attention towards Kristoff. "Did we forget to tell her?"

"A lot of stuff was going on." answered Kristoff to his fiancé.

"Tell me what?" asked Elsa worried by her siblings worried tone. Thanks to her imprisonment in the urn, the young queen didn't know what had happened to her Kingdom!

"Arendelle has been conquered." spoke Anna. "By the Southern Isles." Both Hans and Elsa paled by the news. How many days had already passed for Arendelle? Without a ruler, Arendelle would be falling apart, not only by invaders, but by the High lords as well! They had heard enough stories how Anarchy led to civil wars and chaos for the people...

"Emma...we need to find a way back...NOW" asked a nervous Elsa.

Emma swallowed heavily. "We'l do our best."

Hook, who stood unnoticed a few feet further, slowly slipped away from the group...

The pirate groaned when Rumple put more pressure on his heart. "They...uhhhggg...didn't leave. The Snow Queen locked up the border." Hook gasped again. "Once you...you cross over, there is no coming back!" Hook sighed relieved when Rumple's pressure on his vital organ dissappeared.

"If only the Snow Queen had succeeded...and hadn't taken my grandson away..." mumbled Rumple out loud. "Everything would be so much simpler if I didn't had to intervene..."

"Yes... your perfect cover for your exit is blown...You didn't get the chance to put Hans in that hat either..." Hook grinned. "SO inconvenient..."

"What about our friends from Arendelle?" asked Gold, who didn't want to hear the pirate speak about his failures.

"They are still searching for a portal back...They had magic beans at one point, but they got lost..."

"Well, that is a problem..." said Gold while he thought on how to dispose of them quickly. "Can't have that Anna running arround town..."

"She knows, doesn't she?" realized Hook. When he saw the dark one avoid his eyes, he grinned even wider. "She knows what you have been planning, that you want to cleave yourself from your dagger... I heard Belle confess last night, that she knew Anna personally..."

"Still...quite the supposition." brushed Gold the pirate's realization away. Yet, inside he was fearful. Anna had seen him once, when he and Belle came by to pay their respects...Since their was a huge difference in appearances from then and now, He calculated that Anna would recognize him immediately. Still, he shouldn't test how far his luck would go. That girl was clever, and would soon put all the pieces together...

"Why else would you care?" spoke Hook. "Anna is a danger to you. you can't have you blissfully ignorant wife-"

"Watch Anna. Make sure she doesn't come near anywhere this shop." cut Rumple the man's sentence off. He didn't want to let the pirate speak about Belle either. It just only added more guilt for the lies he told her.

"If I had the choice..."

"You don't. Your usefullness was unexpectantly extended." spoke Rumple. "But tonight, when the stars in the sky align with the stars in the sorcerer's hat... I can finally do what I should have done so many years ago... I will crush your heart."

"And what are you going to do afterwards?" growled Hook powerless.

"I'm going to wake my wife..." Rumple nodded to the sleeping Belle. "...and prepare her for my greatest gift. She is going to have the life she always wanted."

Regina slowly took out Marion's heart that she had carefully preserved all this time, and thrusted it back into the woman's chest. Marion gasped awake when her heart was back into place and she looked arround to see Robin stand close to her. As she embraced him, Robin glanced to Regina, who didn't meet his eyes...

When she was drinking in the tavern, the bell rang. Regina saw from the corners of her eye that it was Marion, and she sighed. What was she doing here? she should be with Robin and Roland! "Please...I want to be left alone."

"We should talk." spoke Marion loud and clear, causing Regina to practically jump up. Did she really just...talk to me? "I want to thank you...for saving my life, twice actually.."

Regina swallowed and looked back to Robin's wife. "Forget about it."

"I can't... because Robin can't." Marion paused to look her into the eye. "I have seen the way you two look at each other...and I understand. For me, it has only been a short time. But for him, years have passed. His heart has moved on. He's in love with you, Regina. And I think you're in love with him."

"That doesn't really matter. He's a man of honour, he made a vow to you and he's going to keep it."

"I don't want him to be with me out of obligation. I want to be chosen. If his heart leads him to me...fine. But if it does what I suspect and leads to you... then I will step out of the way." With that said, Marion left the tavern. For the first time in days, Regina began to smile again.

"you may have gotten the best of me, Dark one, but I promise you in the next life it won't be so pleasant for you" grumbled Hook to his nemesis.

Rumple simply chuckled. "well then, given my immortality, You'll have quite the wait amongst the fire and brimstone." said Rumple as the door flew open at his command. THe two stept into the house.

"If I'm going to die, at least give me all the information" spoke Hook as he looked arround the empty hall way. "Who's house is this?"

"A powerful sorcerer...He commanded his apprentice to lead the Snow Queen here... If he can foresee and foretell everything, from across realms...It means there has to be a portal somewhere..." The broomstick waved his sticky arms and a portal door appeared, full with green crocuses on a purple background.

Belle meanwhile was packing her things, unaware of what Rumple was doing right now. The young girl grunted as she tried to close the over full suit case, pressing her body on it. She gasped relieved when she succeeded.

"Granma?" called Henry suprised as he saw her busy with the suit case. "You are going on a trip?"

"Uh...Yeah, Rumple wants to take me to New York for our honeymoon" explained Belle as she put the suit case down.

Henry frowned. "But...The Snow Queen..I mean, that Mirror...it left a spell arround the border. Anyone who passes, can't return. Didn't you hear?"

Belle knitted her eyebrows. "No, I didn't." She was quiet for a moment, before answering the boy. "But, I'm sure he knows a way on how to remove it." spoke Belle confidently about her husband. She stopped smiling when she saw Henry's serious face. "Hey what is wrong?"

Henry took out the Storybook and put it on the table. "This book, it got all your stories in it. It started all this... " The kid waved his hands arround the shop, to indicate the amount of curses they had to face. "A lot of bad things happen in it to my mom..."

"Oh, Henry... I wouldn't worry... She's on a much better path right now.." assured Belle.

Henry smiled, feeling a bit more relieved. "Thanks granma..."

"Yeah..." Belle felt uncomfortable when Henry calls her that way. It made her feel so...old. "Belle is good enough for me." Both chuckled, before Belle turned her attention back to her previous task. "So, I need some extra suit cases. I'm afraid I can't otherwise take everything with me. Can you help me look?"

Henry quickly put his bag down and began to walk arround the store, searching on one of the higher planks. Bingo! There was one... The kid climbed up a nearby ladder, while he talked to Belle. "You know, you should really go and see the public library. No offense, but it blows the one we have here, away!" Belle giggled with excitement as she took some extra clothes in her arms. "It has this great view and-" Crash! Belle squealed when Henry lost grip on the heavy bunch of material he was holding.

"Are you okay?" asked Belle as she run to the kid.

"Sorry...let me get those..." smiled Henry as he jumped down the ladder and began to tidy everything up. "He really keeps some strange things here..."

Belle chuckled, but stopped when she saw a familiar sight on the ground. The gauntlet...

Henry saw her worried face and looked worried to his granma. "What's wrong? I'll clean it back up!"

"What? oh, no no, everything is alright..." smiled Belle before taking the gauntlet in her hands. "I got it." the young woman sighed when her mind recalled what Rumple had said long ago. It could point someone to their greatest weakness...

"What is it?" asked Anna curiously as she looked to the small piece of food.

"It is their version of the cake" commented Elsa. "It is strange. It can spend years inside a box and time never touches it."

"Its a magic cake!" exclaimed the red-haired princess.

Kristoff sniffled at it carefully, causing Hans to glare incredulously to his cousin. "Seriously? That cake is not going to kill you." said the prince while he snorted at their caution. "Go on, take a bite."

Kristoff slowly took the little treat inside his mouth, while Anna looked expectantly to her fiancé's reaction. After a short silence, the Ice harvester nodded. "Uhm... not bad." The man put the half-eaten cake back on the plate. "But, as much as I love eating 'boxed' cake, I prefer to return to Arendelle, putting those brothers in a box." Kristoff glanced to the auburn-haired prince. "No offense."

The man shrugged. "None taken."

They looked up when they saw Emma enter Granny's and their conversation stopped. "I have some bad news. I just spoke to Anton and apparently Storybrooke is not an ideal place for growing vegetables. So...no magic beans untill spring."

"Spring?" asked Elsa again, to be certain that they all heard it right. "We don't have untill spring! By that time, my people could be dead!" Anna put her hands on that of her concerned sibling, to calm her down.

"We are trying...portals are hard to come by." spoke Emma exhausted from looking for answers.

The bell rang again and this time, it was Hook who entered. "Swan! come celebrate. For I may not be the savior, but I just saved the day." Hook went to the bar and poured two cups of rum.

"Don't get your hopes up" spoke Emma to the depressed group before walked to Hook. "Okay... what exactly are we celebrating?" asked Emma as she accepted the cup Hook gave her.

"The portal to Arendelle. I found it." Emma's eyes flew wide, and she glanced to Ardellians, before turning her gaze back to Hook. "So...buttoms up!" Hook clicked his cup against hers, and swallowed the drink.

Emma put her cup down as well, although she hadn't drunk from it. She was still fazed by this unexpected revelation. This was indeed good news... "You...found a portal?" asked Emma again. Surely she wasn't dreaming?

"Well, I found Gold, and he told me where to locate one. The door in the ball room of that lake-side mansion." Emma blinked as she recalled the house. It was the same house where Hans almost stripped his magic away... wait, what? Gold? Gold helping Hook?

Hook saw Emma's baffled face. "Yes. It appears our Rumplestiltskin has turned another leaf."

"Apparently dozens of leaves." answered Emma astonished. "are you sure we can trust him?"

"Positive." Emma was oblivious to Gold, who was speaking in Hook's stead, by holding his heart. "He gave me a long explaination about the portal...about how, the Snow Queen came here to this land..." Hook paused. "Which I... don't recall." Emma glanced up to Hook. Didn't recall? Surely you must remember such important news for Hans? Over time, Hans and Hook had become close friends and bonded over their love for sailing. "But, the important thing is... it works." babbled Hook on. "All they have to do, is walk through it."

"Then we should go." spoke Emma as she began to walk to the group to tell them the good news.

"Fine, you go do that." answered Hook, causing Emma to stop in her tracks. "I alas, bruised myself during the fight. I really need to get it seen to."

Right. Now she knew something was wrong with him. Killian would never care for a bruise or two! "Hey, are you okay?" Emma caressed the man's cheek, trying to look him into the eyes.

"Sure." smiled Hook. "Everything is alright...love." When he passed by to walk out of the tavern, the man desperately took hold of Emma's arm, gripping it tightly. Come on, Emma! You know there is something wrong! Hook felt the pressure on his body multiply and he unwillingly let go, dissappearing out of the tavern.

"It means so much for Roland to have her back." smiled Robin as he and Regina looked Roland throw bread into the lake for the swans.

"I understand." said Regina cool. "By the end of the day, marriage comes first." Robin turned his attention to the Evil Queen.

"Regina..."

"She is his mother" spoke Regina, not wanting to hear him say it.

"I chose you." said Robin determinded.

Regina smiled to the thief, but her smile dissappeared when she saw complete seriousness in his eyes. The woman looked back and forth between Robin and Marion. "But...Roland..." whispered Regina. "What will this look like to him?"

Robin looked to his son, who was playing with his mother. "It will complicate things, that's for sure. But if I went back with my life with Marion, I would live a lie. The best example I can set to my son is to live truthfully... with you." Robin took out the photo he had found in the library a few nights ago and Regina laughed softly when she saw it.

"Papa! Papa, help!" Little Roland's cries made both Regina and Robin ran over the unconcious woman. Robin gasped when he saw Marion freeze over once again.

"I thought she was cured?"

"There still has to be some left of the curse inside her body...even without her heart..."

"So there is no hope?" asked Robin as he looked to Regina.

The woman sighed. "There may be another way to save her. Now that the ice wall is down, she can cross into the land without magic. As she passes, al traces of magic inside her will be gone."

"So, lets get her to the townline!" Robin stopped when he felt Regina's arm arround his.

"Its a one-way trip." spoke Regina clearly. "Once you leave...that's it."

"What are you saying?" asked Robin after he had taken everything in.

"I'm saying we can't just send Marion into an unknown world." spoke Regina. "You have to go with her." The woman swallowed heavily. Just when she tought that everything was going smoothly for once in her life... Fate seems to make her a joke...

"When the stars align...we shall begin." smiled Rumple as he stood with Hook in the tower.

"You mean, I shall end. Let's not start mincing our words now" growled Hook as his eyes shook daggers to his rival.

"How brave..." commented Rumple. "I half expected you to crumble at your demise..."

"Well, I'm not the one who is a coward!" retorted Hook.

"Then you'll enjoy watching this coward crushing your heart." answered Rumple. The man waved his hands, and the ceiling of the tower moved open to reveal the sky...

"This place is amazing..." spoke Henry as he looked to the beautiful architecture. The kid saw something strange from the corners of his eyes and he walked through the next door. "Mom, I'm right back!"

"Hey, kid, wait!" Emma pushed the door open to get a better view, and Anna gasped when she saw the portal door.

"Crocuses! Arendelle Crocuses!" laughed the princess. "Elsa we're almost home!"

The young girl sprinted to the door to open it, when Emma stopped her. "Perhaps I should open it. Magic can be unpredictable."

Elsa took hold of Emma's hand. "So...this is it then."

"It appears so." smiled Emma sadly. She wished they could have stayed longer, to get to know each other better...But she didn't want to keep them here against their will.

"Thank you for taking such good care of my sister" thanked Anna.

"Its kinda what we do" smiled Emma back. "It was our pleasure."

"Now...you all have a kingdom to go save?" commented Snow as she tought of the good wild times she experienced as well.

"We sure do. I hope Those brothers aren't to comfortable on that throne, because I'm going to knock them off the minute we get back." mused the spunky princess.

"And the second minute we get back, maybe we could get married?" added Kristoff. Anna smiled to her fiancé's comment. "Just a thought." shrugged Kristoff.

"Emma...Thank you for everything..." Elsa clasped her cold hands arround the savior. "You have done...so much. I can never repay you." Anna ran to David to give him one last hug, while Hans embraced Snow.

"Take good care of yourself, will you?" whispered Snow to the young prince.

"Always. Please thank Hook as well." spoke Hans. "i still regret not being able to say goodbye to him."

"And mister Gold as well" added Elsa quickly.

"We will." smiled Snow motherly to the young couple.

Elsa swallowed heavily while she and Emma parted from their hug. "Its time..." As Emma opened the door, the Ardellians smiled. They were almost home... Elsa went first, followed by Hans, who had his hands interwinded with her's.

"Good luck" wished Emma to the princess and the Ice harvester. Kristoff and Anna stepped to the portal, also with locked hands. Yet at the last moment, Anna took her hand out of Kristoff's, pondering about one last thing.

"I wish I had met this mister Gold" said the babbeling princess. "Who was he? I mean, who was he in the other world?" When Emma wanted to retort, Anna guessed for herself. "Wait, wait, let me guess!" laughed the girl. "He was a fairy godfather wasn't he?"

"Well, not exactly. He was an evil sorcerer you're lucky you've never met." answered her old friend David. "Rumplestiltskin."

Anna blinked as she heard the familiar name. "Wait what?"

"You knew him?" asked Emma as she saw the princess pale at the name. "He explicitly said he didn't know anything about you." Her stomach began to twist at the news.

"Well, thats a lie. Not that it really suprises me...all he does is lie." said the girl sweetly before hugging Emma one last time. "Be careful for him, will you?" With that said, the bubbly princess jumped through the portal, leaving the group baffled.

Gold looked up to the sky, before waving his dagger arround the sorcerer's hat, that began to glow purple-blue. The Dagger he put somewhat further away, as he also had to keep Hooks heart in his other hand. As he commanded the sorcerer's hat to fly up in to the sky, it expanded with a huge flash all arround the tower. Hook had to close his eyes slightly by the sudden brightness of the room.

"Its time..."whispered the Dark one. Light began to descend upon the man, just as Snow and Emma arrived by the lift.

"Gold! stop!" Emma's cry made the dark one lose concentration for a moment, and the light dissappeared.

"I'm sorry. I can't" spoke Rumple. "I waited too long for this... and I'm too close." Rumple waved his hand and both Emma and Snow froze into real life statues, unable to move a muscle. "Maybe not everything has gone to plan..." went Rumple on as he refocused his attention to Hook. "But the next part, I'm really going to enjoy..." Hook screamed when Rumple began to crush his heart, and he fell down on the floor. Rumple's satisfied face dissappeared when he couldn't go on. "i don't understand...why can't I?" his hand reopened, stopped Hook's pain completely.

"Because I commanded you not to!" spoke a fuming Belle from behind him. Rumple turned arround to face his wife. "Drop the heart." Rumple had no choice but to obey, and Hook quickly catched his vital organ. "Now, release everyone." Again Rumple obliged at his wife's command, and Emma and Snow gasped as they could move. The sorcerer's hat went back to his normal form, and Rumple swallowed. His one chance...

"You are going to take us now to the townline. Because we need to be alone for what comes next." commanded Belle with a cracked voice.

"Belle..." swallowed Rumple as they appeared outside Storybrooke. "What are you doing?" Thanks to the dagger, Rumple had to walk backwards, closer and closer to the townline.

"Finally I see you for what you really are."

"Belle..please, let me explain. Put the dagger down." tried Rumple to shush her down.

"No! Its my turn to talk..I found that gauntlet you took from Camelot so many years ago... And all the signs I have been seeing, are correct. You never gave up power for me. You never have...you never will" cried Belle.

"You don't understand-" Rumple stumbled backwards when Belle pointed the dagger back up.

"I used that gauntlet, to lead me to the thing that you loved most." went Belle on. "You know where that led me Rumple? To the real dagger. Your true love is the power."

"I like the power yes... But there is nothing wrong with it. Not when I- We" corrected Rumple. "...can have it all!"

"I tried to be everything for you Rumple! But I wasn't. And I lost my way, trying to help you find yourself. Not anymore..."

"Please Belle..I have changed once before, you...you know that!" cried the Dark one desperately.

"You have never changed."

"Please..."

"NO!" yelled Belle as she walked forwards with the dagger. "It is too late. Once I saw the man behind the beast...Now there is only the beast." Belle took a deep breath, before pointing the dagger back to Rumple. "Rumplestilstkin...I command you to leave Storybrooke!"

"No, Belle, please...I won't...I won't be able to come back!" pleaded Rumple as he was forced to walk closer to the town line. "Belle...please...I'm afraid..." Rumple stumbled on the ground on the Land without Magic, as his magical abilities dissappeared completely. "BELLE!"

Arendelle, 2 years later...

Anna fundled nervously with her gloves as she and Elsa stood before the entrance of the church. "This was a bad idea..." mumbled the nervous princess. "I should have chosen the braids!" The gown of the princess was quite simple, without any expensive materials. Since the war between the Southern Isles had only ended a few weeks, Arendelle still was busy to rebuild their homes and farmer grounds. At first, Anna wanted to wait, but Elsa commented that the people needed a happy occasion to ease their minds from their would do them all good... "It suprises me I'm still able to fit in this dress" commented Anna as she felt her little, pregnant belly. It wasn't that noticable yet, but you saw the first signs already. "Although, it doesn't make me show myself at my best..."

Elsa chuckled as she saw her sister jump from one feet to another. "Anna, you look amazing. I think so, so surely will Kristoff!"

"I don't know...what if I fall?" trembled the woman. "What if i don't remember the vows? What if-"

Elsa took hold of both her hands to calm the nervous girl down. "Don't worry about that too much." The young queen frowned and Anna looked worried to her sudden serious face. "Anna..why did you do this? Why did you pospone your whole wedding, just to find out the truth?"

"Elsa..." chuckled Anna softly. "You're my sister. I couldn't walk down this aisle if you weren't as happy as I was."

"Anna...I'm very happy..." The two sisters hugged each other, and Anna began to cry on Elsa's purple cape. "Now, now..." chuckled Elsa as she wiped her sister's tears away. "It is not the time to cry..."

"Its no wedding without tears... " answered Anna as she swallowed the lump in her throat away.

Elsa wanted to retort, when they heard the choir sing. "You're ready?"

Anna nodded with gleaming eyes and flushed cheeks, as was common with every soon-to-be wife. "Ready." The doors opened and everyone stood up, besides the groom and his first man of course. Which was to Elsa's relief not Sven, but Hans.

"Wow." Kristoff swallowed as he saw Anna enter.

"Wow indeed." commented Hans as his eyes were solidly on the queen. After Elsa gave Anna to Kristoff, she stood next to the soon-to-be husband and wife. Their vows were short and simple and they don't need to be repeated here on paper, as everyone knows the words by heart. When they went out to greet the people, Elsa had to blink a few tears away. Her sister had grown up...

The festivities were held on the courtyard and Hans and Elsa looked to the newlyweds, who shared their first dance together. Hans sniggered when he saw Kristoff place his feet on that of Anna's. He had lost count how many lessons he had to give the guy... But, he did it very well. After the opening dance, Elsa danced with Kristoff, while Hans took the younger sister. Normally it would have been the parents, but since they were the only family members left...

"Remember that coronation ball a few years ago?" smirked the bride to the young admiral.

"How could I not?" smiled Hans as he swirled her arround.

"So.. are you going to propose like last time?" The blunt question made Hans nearly lose his next step, but he quickly regained balance.

"You and I both know how well that worked out" spoke Hans softly to the princess as they danced across the courtyard. "Don't want another Winter in the middle of august. And besides, we are already married before Gran Pabbie..."

Anna gniffled but looked back seriously to the young man. "No, I meant, before the church, like we did. When?" The green eyes of the man suddenly stood fearful and Anna blinked suprised at the sudden change. It was just for a second, but then the green eyes changed back to his normal cheerful mood. "Well?" pressed Anna on. Hans opened his mouth, when she felt a finger tick on her shoulder.

"Mind if I cut in?" asked Elsa. Her sister obliged and went back to dance with Kristoff, abeit with reluctance. "Seems I interrupted something important..." frowned the young queen as Hans led her arround.

"Nothing at all.." smiled Hans. "Your sister just wanted to know something... typical her couldn't stop asking on."

Elsa chuckled and leaned in the man's strong embrace. They all danced on, as the hours passed into days, and the days passed into weeks and years...

Emma looked nervously to Hook as she held his heart in front of her.

"Just be gen-UGGGGh!" Hook gasped when Emma thrusted his heart in him as hard as possible.

"Sorry...I just thought that if I did it quickly it would be like ripping of a-" Emma couldn't speak further as Hook began to kiss her and push her gently against the wall.

"I told you Swan...I'm a survivor." smiled Hook when they were out of breath. Both Emma and Hook went back to the bar, where Regina sat depressed with a bottle of wine before her nose.

"I'm not in the mood for a hope speech, Emma..."

"You mistake me for my mother." spoke Emma. "Besides you don't need a speech, you need a drinking buddy. Shots?" Regina looked slowly up to the Savior.

"Sure, why not?" answered Regina decisive as Emma ordered two. It was silent for a few seconds when Emma spoke again.

"You know you did the right thing today." Regina put her hand on the table in disbelief.

"There it is! A hope speech! I thought we were drinking."

"Its not a speech, it is a compliment." defended Emma herself.

"Well, I know I don't need your validation, I know i did the right thing. I know because I'm miserable. Again."

"Well...if it makes you feel better...so does Gold." tried Emma to cheer her up.

"It does." commented Regina as they clinked their shots together. Just when they took a sip, Henry burst into the tavern.

"Woah, kid slow down." said the Savior worried as she took hold of the kid.

"Mom! I found something big! you need to see this!" spoke Henry enthousiastic. When they arrived at the mansion again, both women followed the young kid inside. "After you guys left, I stayed to look arround for a while, and I found something." The boy went to a wall, and pressed a lantern down, causing a wall to open up.

"A library..." gasped Regina as she saw the huge amount of books in the racks.

"Not any library..." spoke Henry as he walked further on. "Look..." he took a randomly chosen book out and showed it to the two women.

"That...looks just like your book." realized Emma.

"Only its blank" explained Henry. "They all are." He looked to Regina. "And if this place is full of potential storybooks..."

"Then this is maybe the Author's house" finished Regina's her son's train of thought. "Henry, you did it!" Regina embraced her son proudly.

"Did what?" asked Emma confused.

"Oh..well, we were looking for the Author. " explained Regina to Emma. "I...was hoping he could write me a happier story."

"We called it operation mongoose." Emma clasped the kid's shoulder.

"I like it. It's got style. I'm in." smiled Emma to them both.

"You are?" asked Regina suprised.

"I made you a promise I intend to keep. Everyone deserves their happy ending." smiled Emma to Regina. One story ends, a new one begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was devastated they didn't show Kristoff's and Anna's wedding in OUAT, so I wrote it myself. As for a Hans and Elsa, there will be an epilogue arround those two, so their story is not yet over. The war between the Southern Isles and Arendelle lasted for more then a year, before Arendelle managed to win. Hence why Kristoff's and Anna's wedding was so late.
> 
> They did marry before Gran Pabbie during the war, as did Hans and Elsa...But since marriage is only legal before the church, they have to "re-do" it to make it truly official.
> 
> Keep sharing your thoughts, keep reviewing!
> 
> Love,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


	30. Epilogue

Arendelle, 5 years later.

Hans rubbed his eyes, tired by staring at the papers for so long, and sighed when he saw the great amount of papers he still had to read. The man looked to the window, where the leaves were ticking against the window by the harsh winds that howled outside. Autumn had set in...

"Hans?" The man looked to the doorway, to vaguely see Elsa in the dim light. "Why are you still up so late? It is nearly midnight..."

"I still have some papers to fill in..." said Hans as Elsa sat down next to him, on the couch nearby. "Why aren't you in bed? You should be resting..."

"I know, I know..."sighed Elsa. "But I couldn't sleep. I wanted to speak to you."

"Go on..." said Hans as he wrote further. When he put his pencil back in the quill pot, it froze over and Hans slowly looked to the angry queen. "Alright. Fine. What is it?"

"Why are you hiding from me?"

Hans frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You haven't spoken to me in days" said Elsa softly as she tried to look into the man's eyes. "Why? Is it the nightmares again?"

"It isn't the nightmares" spoke Hans clearly. He followed Elsa's gaze, downwards to the sword he still kept at his side.

"You still can't forget about the war..."

Hans' jaw stood hard. "Doesn't matter. What's in the past, is in the past. Don't bother yourself with it." The temperature dropped by ten degrees in just 2 seconds as Elsa's anger rose even further.

"Good lord, Hans!" snapped the queen. "Of course it bothers me! You are going to be crowned tomorrow and-" Elsa stopped when she saw the table crack. Wood had begun to reform into its more natural state as the man's hands were practically white, trembling as he tried to keep his thoughts calm. Oh... "So that's why you were avoiding me.." whispered the queen as she sat beside Hans. "You...you are afraid for the reactions of the people? Hans, They forgave you years ago, when you led them into war!" shushed Elsa as she took his hands. "You freed me, from your brothers, after I went to negociate with them... you let them sign the treaty... Hans, Arendelle is practically begging for you to marry me!"

"We did already marry, remember?" answered Hans with a small smile.

"For gran pabbie, yes..." smiled Elsa back as she remembered their words. I'm his, and he is mine, from this day, untill the end of my days... They had done that the same evening they had returned to Arendelle, as had Anna and Kristoff. If something should happen to one of them during the war, they would at least die as husband and wife...

"See?" smiled Hans as he cupped her cheek. "No need for a wedding tomorrow."

"...But we didn't marry for the church." said Elsa immediately after, causing Hans to groan in desperation. "And you know the law. As long as you don't marry me, our children won't-"

"be inheriting the throne, I know" said Hans with thin lips. When Elsa had been captive by his brothers, It had caused traumendous problems; Anna still hadn't been 21 during that time, and since his marriage with Elsa hadn't been for the church, he had no power to step up. if it hadn't been for the o so clever Anna...  
\------------------

"What do you mean, She can't lead?" said Kristoff incredulously. "She is the rightful heir of Arendelle!"

"But she isn't 21." said the man.

"She is turning 21 in just a few weeks!" said Hans with clenched fists. "Surely you can change the law?" The man felt guilty for letting Elsa negociate with his brothers. After King Julian's death a few days ago, his half-brothers had asked for a white flag, claiming that they wanted peace now that the King was gone...He should have known better. Hans clenched his jaw.

"It would cause great debate, your highness...give or take a few months."

"Months?!" shouted Anna. "Arendelle doesn't have months left if we don't have someone to lead!"

"There is...someone who can, in your stead, your highness." said the man. "Lord Eirik ruled in Queen Elsa's name untill she reached her coronation age."

"That man may be good at ruling, but not at leading a war" said Hans while frowning.

"Indeed." said the man as he walked into the tent as he had heard Hans' last comment. "We won't be leading a war, but make a peace offering."

"Excuse me?" sputtered Kristoff. "They have the queen! They burned our people's homes, raped women and killed children!"

"There is no room for a peace offering!" snarled Anna.

"You are not the one to give commands." said the man coldly. "I do. As we speak, we already have come to an arrangement. what has happened to Queen Elsa is tragic, but we have to put the safety of our people first."

"The safety of you, you mean!" bit Hans to the man. "This is treason. You had no right to do this before consulting Anna about it. You still need to answer to her!" said Hans angrily as he clutched his hand on his sword.

"Comes from the bastard-traitor who commited regicide" smirked the man. Hans wanted to retort, when suddenly Anna spoke up again.

"You should be wise to hold your tongue, My Lord" said Anna suddenly with a smile. "He isn't a bastard, as his half brothers claim to you. He is born of two royal bloodlines. He's The Snow Queen's one and only heir!"

The man laughed. "The Snow Queen is just a legend-"

"She was real. You know that. whether you are Sami or not. the Ruler in the North, was what as we all called her." said Kristoff, now knowing where his clever wife wanted to go. "Her title has gone to Hans."

Hans had stayed silent the whole time. What were they doing?! Suddenly one of the generals took out his sword and put it with is sharp point into the ground as he bowed before Hans. "I'll have peace on those terms!" called the man out. "The King in the North!" Hans glanced to Anna, who nodded in approval. The man slowly stood up to accept the title. another general did the same, and another... Soon, everyone went on his knees, even Anna and Kristoff, while they chanted the name over and over. The title chanted in the tent and soon across the entire camp and the sounds carried across the wind to the Southern invaders.

"Your highnesses!" A soldier walked into the tent of King Franz. "They...They are chanting!"

The princes paled as they heard the name that Gerda had given Hans during his birth. "He will be a great King...A King who will unite the North..."  
\--------------

"Hans?" Elsa shook his shoulder when Hans' eyes stood unfocused.

"Uhm..." Hans shook himself back into reality. "What?"

Elsa sighed tiredly, but she stayed patient. The least she wanted was for him to close off for her completely. "I asked you why you are so against being crowned tomorrow." At the word "crowned" the Prince-consort's hands clenched together once more. The room's temperature, before that Ice-cold, became now immensely warm.

"I...I'm afraid I'm going to lose myself in it." whispered Hans with tears in his eyes. "I still remember how...exhillerating it felt to lead in your absence during the big Freeze, and later on during the War..." The man took a deep breath before he talked on. "I'm afraid that, when I'm crowned...I'll become back that power-hungry man on the Fjord..."

"But...That man wasn't you." tried Elsa to comfort him. "That was merely the Mirror shard, you weren't-"

"I wanted it." interrupted Hans her while avoiding her eyes. "I wanted to strike you down. You may say I was under the influence of the Mirror shard, but...that's not what it felt like. What I said to Anna that night, was the full truth. I wanted to be King, to be noticed. I willingly gave in." Hans looked up to see her reaction, expecting to see hatred and repulse in her blue eyes.

"But you didn't kill me." whispered Elsa as she wiped the man's tears away. "You still resisted it, in a tiny, small part of you..."

"But what if-" Elsa put her finger on Hans' lips to stop him from talking.

"Stop saying, what if. You won't become that same man again." spoke Elsa sharply to break through him. "You have me, and Anna, and Kristoff... We'll stay by you, always. I managed to thaw your heart once...I can do so again..."

"God...I don't deserve you..." smiled Hans as he kissed her on the mouth.

"Aunt Elsa, Aunt Elsa!" The Queen and the Prince-consort quickly parted from each other as Anna's son ran inside the study room. Lucas was quickly followed by his more shy twin sister Audun. Lastly, Elsa's daughter came in as well, at a much slower pace as she still had to learn to walk properly.

The prince-consort took his daughter quickly in his arms as she almost seemed to fall over from exhaustion. "Hey there, Dagrun..." smiled the father. "Had a nice day with your cousin and niece?"

"Verhy Nisce" spoke Dagrun happily, but tired by the exhausted day. The little girl's eyes soon fell closed on her father's chest.

"Can you tell us a bedtime story, please, please, pleaaaase?" asked Lucas with pleading eyes. He was exactly like his mother; Often wild, and blundering out questions about everything that was new for him.

"I'm afraid your aunt is too tired today, Lucas." spoke Hans softly as he saw Elsa's tired face. "Perhaps another time..."

"oooh..." cried the two children out in dissappointment. Elsa felt a bit guilty as she saw their faces. Anna and Kristoff had gone to Corona for a few weeks, not only for negociations, but to have some alone-time as well. Anna was the hardest to convince, as she didn't want to leave her children out of sight. She wrote letters every single day to ask if they were okay. Ever since she had become a mother, the princess had become softer and less wild in her doings. Normally, their ship should have arrived 2 days ago, but a large storm had taken up on the North Seas. As much as Anna wanted to be in time for her sister's wedding, she didn't want to take risk by going through the storm...

Elsa swallowed when she tought of Anna and looked back to Lucas and Audun. If she missed her so much, her children must probably miss their parents even more... "What if your uncle Hans gave you a bed time story?" smiled Elsa to the two children to cheer the two up.

"Yes, yes!" laughed both. "Please, uncle Hans! Please!"

"Alright, alright" shushed the man the two down so they wouldn't wake Dagrun in his arms. "Just let me tuck in Dagrun, and I'll come by your bedroom shortly after." As the two chldren sprinted happily away, the Prince-consort looked to his wife. "I'll come soon..."

Elsa smiled as she felt his lips once more against hers. "Don't hurry...I'll probably be asleep already..." yawned the queen before stroking her finger against their daughter' sleeping face. She didn't wake up by her mother's soft touch.

"Alright.." smiled Hans as he kissed her on her forehead. "Good night... "

After Hans had tucked his daughter in, he went to the twins, who were still clear awake at this hour. "Alright, what do you want to hear from me?" smiled Hans as he sat on one of the beds. "The princess and the pea? The little mermaid? The brave tin soldier?"

"No, no!" laughed Lucas softly. Hans chuckled and thought deeply. Now, which ones did love Lucas the most?

"The red shoes?" the boy shook his head.

"Uhmmm... the ugly duckling?" the boy tought deeply at that one, before shaking his head once again.

"aha!" smiled Hans as he saw the boy's hesitation. "I was close then...lets see...The little snowdrop?" The boy nodded this time and showed his teeth as his mouth split open in a grin. Hans just wanted to start, when he saw Audun sitting quietly beside her big brother. She hadn't said anything... "Audun, what do you like to hear?" The girl blinked and looked suprised at her uncle as she didn't expect him to ask her.

"Well..." spoke the girl shyly. "I always wanted to know...how mommy and daddy met." the girl sniffed as she thought of her parents. She missed them so much...Perhaps if Uncle Hans told her a story about them, it would feel like they were with her and her brother...

"Oh..." Hans blinked. He didn't expect Audun to ask that... How could he possibly explain everything that had happened? The man thought for a few seconds, before he began to smile again. "Alright, you're ready for a whole new story?" The two children nodded excited.

"Once upon a time, there was a ruler in the North, a woman who ruled over the snowfakes. She lived high, high up in the mountains..." began Hans as the two children were listening with open mouths.

"So, the Snowflakes are like bees then?" asked Lucas observant.

Hans chuckled at the boy's comment. "Yes, they are bees... And like all the bees, they needed a Queen..."The prince waved his hands, and branches began to form figures at his command. snowflakes, trolls, castles and princesses... The children ooo' ed and aaaa'ed at the sight while the winds outside howled on...

"So..." Audun yawned and held her hand before her mouth and closed her eyes. "Thats how Mommy and daddy met..." The girl soon fell asleep, with a smile on her face. Hans smiled to the young girl before looking to a tired Lucas.

"Come on, Lucas, time for bed." urged Hans on as he tucked Lucas in. The boy looked still deep in thought. "What is it?" Hans knew that the boy wouldn't sleep if he didn't get his answers.

"what happened to the prince and queen? Did they ever marry?" asked Lucas to his uncle. He was older and therefore, he questioned a lot his uncle had told him. Surely all of that couldn't really have happened, could it?

Hans smiled. "Well, that's a story that still has to come..." Lucas' eyes widened. So he actually tried to kill his mother and aunt?

He wanted to ask another question, when Hans stopped him. "No more questions, now." commanded the man sternly.

"But-" the boy went silent when he saw Hans' hard eyes. "Okay..." Suddenly the boy embraced him. "I don't care what your brothers said to you..." whispered Lucas. "You're the best uncle of them all..." Hans swallowed heavily, moved by the boy's sincere words.

When all the kids were asleep, he returned to his shared bedroom with Elsa. The soon-to-be King carefully laid down next to the queen, so she wouldn't wake up.

"hmmm..." mumbled Elsa half-asleep. "Howdidigo?"

Hans yawned "Good..."

"They are all asleep?"

"yeah..." slurred Hans as sleep began to take over

"Good" Smirked Elsa as she pulled him in for a kiss, causing Hans to be awake immediately.

"Elsa..." breathed Hans heavily as Elsa began to kiss his neck. "We...Uhmm... we have a wedding, tomorrow...We should..." the man had difficulty to think as Elsa's hand went further down. "We shouldn't do this before our...*gasp* ..wedding night.." Hans moaned as Elsa began to undo his shirt, trailing kisses everywhere. "It won't make a good expression..." The man's eyes darkened as he pushed the queen against the bed, trying to keep her hands from his body. "If we oversleep...MMMM" The prince shut up as he felt Elsa's lips on him.

"Out of excuses already?" smirked Elsa as they parted from their kiss.

"I believe so." smiled Hans misshievously. "It seems we need some rehearsals for our weddding night after all..."

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, all the stories Hans asks to read to Lucas are stories from Andersen himself. It wasn't a convenience that Gerda's family name was the same as the famous Danish writer... *winks*
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with me. Again, I can't thank you readers enough for reviewing and commenting! I like to have feedback on the story, the writing and the characters! What was good? what wasn't? what was your favorite part? What could have been better? Please tell me in the comments!
> 
> Love,
> 
> TeamArendelle.


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